Background

Of all the types of life-threatening allergies, those involving stringing insects – bees, wasps, hornets, yellow jackets, and fire ants – may be the least understood. Some people react normally to insect strings for their entire lives, and then suddenly experience a severe allergic response. Those who have had one allergic reaction can expect a 60% chance of a similar or worse response when stung a second time. Some people never become sensitized to stinging insects, while those who do exhibit allergic reactions can have sensitivities that last from fewer than three months to more than 25 years.

 

Incidence and Prevalence

For nearly 3% of the population, a sting results in anaphylaxis, an acute systemic type of allergic reaction that is sudden, severe, and life-threatening. Each year, about 50 people die of bee stings in the United States. Although most of these patients were 40 or older and had a pre-existing heart condition, insect stings have been known to have serious consequences in patients of all ages.

 

Cause and Risk Factors

Anyone may become allergic to bee or wasp stings, but those with existing allergies of other kinds run the greatest risk of a severe reaction. It should be noted, however, that the chance of becoming dangerously allergic to stings is not high. That being said, those individuals who have experienced delayed, severe local swelling can potentially face anaphylaxis if they continue being stung.

 

When someone exhibits a severe and generalized reaction following a sting, sometimes the next sting, especially after many years, may cause no reaction at all. This is the general pattern in children. Nevertheless, it is impossible to say with any certainty how severe a subsequent reaction will be - so care is always needed when there are stinging insects around. In some cases, symptoms become worse with each sting and the time between sting and symptoms may be reduced.

 

List of Allergens

I001 Honeybee

I002 White- Faced Hornet

I003 Common Wasp

I004 Paper Wasp

I005 Yellow Hornet

I006 Cockroach

I008 Moth, Miller

I047 Water Flea

I049 Deer Fly

I051 Black Ant

I054 Flea Mix (Dog/Cat)

I070 Fire Ant

I071 Mosquito

I073 Red Midge Larva

I075 Hornet

I078 Fly

I079 Flour Beetle

I080 Bumblebee

I100 Cockroach (Americana)

I201 Horsefly

I207 Cockroach, Oriental

P001 Ascaris

P002 Echinococcus

P003 Schistosoma

P004 Herring worm