Insect Allergy

Allergy to Insect Bites and Stings (Insect Allergy)

In summer we encounter insect bites and stings more often, especially when spending time outdoors. For most people they cause only temporary discomfort, but in patients with insect allergy a sting from a bee, wasp or other hymenopteran insect can trigger a severe, life-threatening allergic reaction.

Types of Reactions to Insect Bites and Stings

Several types of reactions are distinguished:

• Normal local reaction: redness, slight swelling and itching at the site of the bite or sting that resolve within a few hours;
• Large local reaction: swelling more than 10 cm in diameter that increases over 24–48 hours and may persist for several days;
• Systemic allergic reaction: generalized urticaria, angioedema, difficulty breathing, a drop in blood pressure and anaphylaxis.

The Most Dangerous Insects

Hymenoptera pose the greatest danger to people with allergies:

• honey bee (Apis mellifera);
• wasps (Vespula, Polistes);
• hornets (Vespa);
• bumblebees (Bombus).

Diagnosis and Treatment

Allergy testing for insect allergy includes measurement of specific IgE to insect venoms and skin tests. Venom immunotherapy (venom AIT) is the only method that provides long-term protection: its efficacy reaches 95–98%.

Patients with anaphylaxis to insect venom are advised to always carry an adrenaline (epinephrine) auto-injector.

KombiMED supplies diagnostic systems for detecting insect venom allergy and consumables for allergy laboratories.