A total of 164 cases with Hymenoptera stings have been treated in our hospital during the 3 year period from 2002 to 2004. We examined year-on-year incidence of the insect stings, monthly distribution, occurrence time, elapsed time from occurrence to visit to our hospital, age, male-female ratio, stung parts, number of stings, types of Hymenoptera, symptoms, and the rate of emergency room visits. The largest number of 83 cases were treated during 2004. A great number of cases were observed from June to September. The stings most frequently occurred during the daytime, and 95 males (58%) and 69 females (42%) were treated. Many of them were in their 50s years or above. The parts which the insect attack were mostly exposed parts such as hands, the upper limbs, face, and legs. Seven cases had systemic reactions (4%), one had urticaria, one had palpitations, two had nausea, two felt ill, and one suffered a anaphylactic shock. The most of the victims were elderly people engaged in agriculture in this area. The stings were most frequently observed in 2004, because there was less precipitation from May to June in that year. The propagation of Hymenoptera became active when the rainfall decreased.
Hymenoptera ; Hospitals ; seconds ; occurrence ; Sting Injury

Reactions to Hymenoptera insect stings are common. While most are self-limited, some induce systemic allergic reactions or anaphylaxis. Prompt recognition, diagnosis, and treatment of these reactions are important for improving quality-of-life and reducing the risk of future sting reactions. This review summarizes the current recommendations to diagnose and treat Hymenoptera sting induced allergic reactions and highlights considerations for various populations throughout the world.
Anaphylaxis ; Bites and Stings ; Hymenoptera ; Hypersensitivity ; Insect Bites and Stings ; Insects

Reactions from stinging insects are significant to dermatologists because of the wide variety of clinical presentations from mild local reaction to severe anaphylactic reaction. Although ant sting commonly occurs, it has been rarely reported in the literatures. We experienced a unique case with allergic reactions by the ant of the Cremawgaster iw6w urai vagala, subfamily Myrmicinae, family Formicidea, order Hymenoptera that has not been previously reported.
Anaphylaxis ; Ants* ; Bites and Stings* ; Humans ; Hymenoptera ; Hypersensitivity ; Insects

PURPOSE: The basophil activation test (BAT) has been used to monitor venom immunotherapy (VIT) due to its high specificity. A previous study has reported a good correlation between a significant decrease in basophil activation during 5 years of VIT and clinical protection assessed by sting challenge. The following prospective study was performed to examine changes in basophil reactivity over a complete VIT period of 5 years. METHODS: BAT in a dose-response curve was studied prospectively in 10 hymenoptera venom-allergic patients over 5 years of VIT. BAT was performed at the time of diagnosis, 1 month after finishing the VIT build-up phase, and 3, 6, 12, 24, and 60 months after beginning treatment. The repeated measures ANOVA was applied to evaluate basophil activation changes throughout VIT. A cross-sectional study was also performed in 6 patients who received treatment for more than 3 years, and in another 12 patients who followed immunotherapy for at least 5 years. RESULTS: An early activation decrease was observed during the first 3 months of treatment, compared to pre-treatment values. This activation decrease was not maintained 6 to 18 months after treatment, but was observed again after 2 years of treatment, and maintained until the completion of the 5-year immunotherapy period. In cross-sectional analysis, the 6 patients who received treatment for 3 years, and 9 of the 12 patients who received treatment for 5 years, had negative BAT results. Three patients in this last group had positive BAT results and 2 patients had systemic reactions after field stings. CONCLUSIONS: BAT appears to be an optimal non-invasive test for close monitoring of VIT.
Basophils* ; Bites and Stings ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Hymenoptera ; Immunotherapy* ; Prospective Studies ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Venoms*

Hymenoptera stings can result in local and systematic symptoms due to their toxic and allergic contents. Although serious sequela are rare, the occurrence of an anaphylactic reaction is considered to be very dangerous and can potentially cause death. Oropharyngeal stings, though infrequent, can cause local edema and airway obstruction due to an anaphylactic reaction and requires immediate epinephrine, antihistamine, steroid treatment and close observation over several days. Careful observation of the oropharyngeal and laryngopharyngeal area using upper gastrointestinal endoscopy is highly recommended, especially for detection of possible edematous swelling in the arytenoid cartilage area. Here we report two cases of patients complaining pain due to edematous swelling in the arytenoid cartilage area caused by hymenoptera stings after accidentally drinking water with a bee in it.
Airway Obstruction ; Anaphylaxis ; Arytenoid Cartilage ; Bees ; Bites and Stings ; Drinking Water ; Edema ; Endoscopy, Gastrointestinal ; Epinephrine ; Humans ; Hymenoptera

Medicinal plants always suffer from diseases and pests in their cultivation and growing, and the yield and quality are reduced. At present, chemical pesticide is mainly used to control the diseases and pests. The long-term use and over-use of pesticide result in pesticide residue, pests resistance to pesticide, water and soil pollution and other environmental contamination. It is necrssary to provide the integrated pests management, including new technology of biological control for developing green drug. This project makes research on the following aspects: 1. Applied studies on bethyloid wasp (Scleroderma guani) control for stem borer; 2. To develop Trichoderma spp. and use it to control the diseases of medicinal plants; 3. Applying Agro-antibiotics 120 to control phytophthora root rot of ginseng; 4. Researches on application of entomopathogenic nematodes against ten-spotted lema (Lema decempuntata) et al.
Animals ; Hymenoptera ; Pest Control, Biological ; Plant Diseases ; Plants, Medicinal ; growth & development ; Trichoderma

BACKGROUND: Patients may receive negative results from a specific IgE (sIgE) test such as the ImmunoCAP (CAP) despite a documented history of systemic reaction to a Hymenoptera sting. Thus, further testing may be required using another serological method or venom skin prick tests to confirm allergy diagnosis and correct species. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the sensitivity and the specificity of CAP and IMMULITE 3gAllergy (IMMULITE) for detecting sIgE to Paper wasp (WA) and Yellow Jacket (YJ) venoms using patient clinical history as the comparator. METHODS: Sera from 70 participants with a history of systemic reactions (SR) to WA and/or YJ stings were tested using CAP and IMMULITE. Fifty participants from this group had negative results on CAP. To assess specificity, sera from 71 participants who had never experienced either a WA or YJ sting were tested using CAP and IMMULITE. Fifty participants from this group tested positive using CAP. RESULTS: In participants with a history of systemic reaction to a Hymenoptera sting, yet who tested negative for WA and/or YJ sIgE according to CAP, the positivity rate according to IMMULITE was 20-42% using 0.10 IUA/mL as the limit of detection (LoD), per the manufacturer's specification. When the LoD for CAP (0.35 IUA/mL) was applied to the IMMULITE results, positivity according to IMMULITE was 14-26%. Overall, sensitivity, specificity, and agreement with SR were greater for IMMULITE than for CAP. For YJ: sensitivity (IMMULITE:CAP), 42.8%:28.5%; specificity, 53.5%:39.4%; agreement, 48.2%:34%. For WA, sensitivity (IMMULITE:CAP), 58.6%:28.5%; specificity, 49.3%:47.8%; agreement, 43.9%:38.3%. CONCLUSION: The IMMULITE performed well for detecting sIgE to Hymenoptera venom
Bites and Stings ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Hymenoptera ; Hypersensitivity ; Immunoglobulin E ; Limit of Detection ; Methods ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Skin ; Venoms ; Wasps

In 1991, Kounis and Zavras described the "syndrome of allergic angina" as the coincidental occurrence of angina and allergic reactions by inflammatory mediators released during the allergic insult. Presently, both allergic angina and allergic myocardial infarction are referred to as "Kounis syndrome." Several allergens, including drugs, Hymenoptera venom, latex, food, and contrast media have been reported to trigger Kounis syndrome. Three variants of this syndrome have been described. Type I includes patients with normal coronary arteries, Type II includes patients with preexisting atheromatous disease where acute release of inflammatory mediators can induce coronary artery spasms, and Type III is associated with intracoronary thrombus formation caused by an allergic reaction. We report a case of Kounis syndrome who presented as acute myocardial infarction after intramuscular injection of a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug.
Allergens ; Anaphylaxis ; Contrast Media ; Coronary Vessels ; Humans ; Hymenoptera ; Hypersensitivity ; Injections, Intramuscular ; Latex ; Myocardial Infarction ; Spasm ; Thrombosis ; Venoms

Apis mellifera L. bee venom is the most studied hymenoptera allergen, but many aspects of its action on human basophils remain unclear. Allergologists seek evidence of the effectiveness of bee venom immunotherapy as this approach is the chosen treatment for systemic allergic reactions. The effect of bee venom on human basophils in vitro has not been studied in detail for many reasons, including the paucity of basophils in peripheral blood, inter-individual basophil response variability, and the reliability and predictability of basophil activation tests. We conducted a brief preliminary survey of the effect of Apis bee venom on healthy asymptomatic (non-allergic) subjects. A dose of an aqueous commercial extract of Apis bee venom as high as 10 microg/mL activated resting basophils (CD63=+80-90%, CD203c=+30%), while it inhibited the expression of CD63 (-50%) following basophil stimulation by the soluble agonists formyl-Met-Leu-Phe or anti-IgE. The activation of resting basophils appeared to be dose-related. Only when basophils were activated with an IgE-mediated agonist, did bee venom extract exhibit a possible priming mechanism at the lowest doses used only via CD63, while it was ineffective via CD203c. Autocrine interleukin-3 may play a role in the observed biphasic behavior.
Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic ; Basophils ; Bee Venoms ; Bees ; Blood Donors ; Flow Cytometry ; Honey ; Humans ; Hymenoptera ; Hypersensitivity ; Immunotherapy ; Interleukin-3

OBJECTIVE: To document the arthropod succession pattern and to identify forensically important species in northeastern Egypt (32° 15' E and 30° 36' N) for the first time. METHODS: Carcasses were exposed in an open area for 60 days during summer season. Ambient daily temperature (maximum and minimum) and relative humidity (RH) were recorded and existing keys were used for identification of different species. RESULTS: During the period of study, the mean of maximum and minimum temperatures were 34.85 °C and 29.2 °C respectively, while the mean of RH was 53.5%. Four stages of decomposition were observed: fresh, bloat, decay and dry. The most abundant orders were found to be Diptera, Coleoptera and Hymenoptera. Arthropods were collected belonging to 4 families of Diptera: Muscidae, Fanniidae, Calliphoridae and Sarcophagidae. While there were 2 families of Coleoptera: Dermestidae and Histeridae. Monomorium species was the only Hymenoptera family in this study. CONCLUSION The present work provided a basis for further studies dealing with insect colonization of carcasses in different seasons and locations in Egypt.
Animals ; Arthropods ; classification ; physiology ; Coleoptera ; Diptera ; Egypt ; Entomology ; Feeding Behavior ; Forensic Medicine ; methods ; Hymenoptera ; Insecta ; classification ; Rabbits ; Rats ; Seasons ; Temperature