Hymenoptera stings
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Class Hymenoptera
- All Hymenoptera share similar components in their venonm and patients can have allergies across the subgroups[1]
- Most reactions are local but anaphylaxis and serum sickness are possible
Clinical Features
Bees (Apids)
- Include Bumblebees and Honeybees
- Barbed Stingers - remain in victims and the process of stinging kills the bee
- Killer bees (hybridized African Bees) have small individual toxin potency but attack in large numbers with increased aggression[2]
- Main allergen is phospholipase A2, hyaluronidase and melittin[1]
- redness and irritation last 1-3 days
Wasps (Vespids)
- Include Yellow Jackets, Hornets, and Wasps
- Non barbed stinger - can sting multiple times and the sting does not cause the wasps' death
- Histamine, phospholipase, antigen 5, and bradykinin similar to bees[1]
- redness and irritation last 1-3 days
Fire Ants (Formicidae)
- Alkaloid venom
- Intense burning papules that may turn to pustules in 24hrs
- Localized necrosis has also been reported[3]
Differential Diagnosis
Envenomations, bites and stings
- Hymenoptera stings (bees, wasps, ants)
- Mammalian bites
- Closed fist infection (Fight bite)
- Dog bite
- Marine toxins and envenomations
- Toxins (ciguatera, neurotoxic shellfish poisoning, paralytic shellfish poisoning, scombroid, tetrodotoxin
- Stingers (stingray injury)
- Venomous fish (catfish, zebrafish, scorpion fish, stonefish, cone shells, lionfish, sea urchins)
- Nematocysts (coral reef, fire coral, box jellyfish, sea wasp, portuguese man-of-war, sea anemones)
- Phylum porifera (sponges)
- Bites (alligator/crocodile, octopus, shark)
- Scorpion envenomation
- Reptile envenomation
- Spider bites
Diagnosis
Treatment
- Immediate treatment for Anaphylaxis or Allergic Reaction
- Local wound care and tetanus prophylaxis
- Remove stingers to reduce venom exposure
- Oral Antihistamines provide symptom relief for pruritus
- EpiPen should be prescribed on discharge
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 King TP et al. Structure and biology of stinging insect venom allergens. Int Arch Allergy Immunol. 2000;123(2):99-106
- ↑ Díaz-Sánchez C. et al. Suvival after massive (>2000) Africanized Honey bee stings. Arch Intern Med. 1998;158(8):925-927
- ↑ Fernández-Meléndez S. et al. Anaphylaxis caused by imported red fire ant stings in Málaga, Spain. J Investig Allergol Immunol. 2007;17(1):48-49
Review Questions