Journal of the Korean Geriatrics Society  2008;12(1):50-52

Cerebral Infarction after Honey Bee Venom Acupuncture.

So Young HUH 1 ; Bong Goo YOO ; Min Jeong KIM ; Jong Kuk KIM ; Kwang Soo KIM

Affiliations

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Keywords

Bee Venoms; MRI; Cerebral infarction

Country

Republic of Korea

Language

Korean

Abstract

Bee venom acupuncture have been associated with wide variety of reactions from mild local reaction to fatal systemic reaction. Vascular complications of bee and wasp stings are rare. A 71-year-old man developed pontine and thalamic infarction after honey bee venom acupuncture. Dysarthria and left hemiparesis were noted 3 days later. The brain MRI showed cerebral infarcts in the left pons and thalamus. The presumed mechanisms include vasoconstriction and platelet aggregation secondary to an injection of distinct allergens contained in bee venom acupuncture.