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Clin Transl Allergy 2022 May 5;12(5):e12151. Epub 2022 May 5.

Department of Biological Science and Technology National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University Hsinchu Taiwan.

Background: Hymenoptera stings can induce dysregulated inflammation and immediate hypersensitivity reactions including anaphylaxis. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying peripheral immune responses during Hymenoptera venom allergy (HVA) remain elusive.

Methods: Here we determined the single-cell transcriptomic profiling from highly heterogeneous peripheral blood cells in patients with HVA through unbiased single-cell RNA sequencing and multiple models of computational analyses. Read More

Clin Mol Allergy 2022 Apr 29;20(1). Epub 2022 Apr 29.

Center for Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, University Medical Centre and Faculty of Medicine Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.

Background: Anaphylaxis occurs in up to 3.5% of hymenoptera stings and can be a life-threatening emergency. Venom immunotherapy (VIT) provides excellent protection from further episodes of anaphylaxis and is well tolerated. Read More

PLoS One 2022 29;17(4):e0266712. Epub 2022 Apr 29.

Department of Pediatrics, Chungnam National University College of Medicine, Daejeon, Republic of Korea.

Background: Anaphylaxis is an allergic disease with fatal respiratory or cardiovascular symptoms that require immediate emergency treatment. We aimed to understand the characteristics and frequency of emergency department (ED) visits of patients with anaphylaxis in Korea.

Methods: Between 2007 and 2013, using data from 147 ED from the National Emergency Department Information System in Korea, we retrospectively evaluated patients with a primary diagnosis of anaphylaxis. Read More

Ceylon Med J 2021 09;66(3):151-153

Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka.

Int J Environ Res Public Health 2022 04 4;19(7). Epub 2022 Apr 4.

National Institute of Public Health, Centre for Environmental Health, Zaloška 29, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia.

Background: Allergic reactions to Hymenoptera stings can have varying levels of severity, according to the Müller grading system.

Methods: By an epidemiological concept, this is a retrospective cohort study. The observed cohort was represented by patients referred to the University Clinic Golnik due to Hymenoptera allergic reaction in the period from 1997 to 2015. Read More

Front Allergy 2021 20;2:727776. Epub 2021 Aug 20.

Department of Dermatology and Venerology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria.

Insect stings and the resulting itch are a ubiquitous problem. Stings by members of the insect order Hymenoptera, which includes sawflies, wasps, bees and ants, and especially by bees and wasps are extremely common, with 56-94% of the population being stung at least once in their lifetime. The complex process of venom activity and inflammation causes local reactions with pain and pruritus, sometimes anaphylactic reactions and more seldomly, as in case of numerous stings, systemic intoxication. Read More

Front Allergy 2022 16;3:854080. Epub 2022 Feb 16.

Department of Biomedical Sciences, Humanitas University, Pieve Emanuele, Italy.

Allergen immunotherapy (AIT) and venom immunotherapy (VIT) are meant to work on the causes of allergies, respectively, to respiratory allergens and Hymenoptera venom, inducing tolerance to the allergens and modifying the natural history of allergy. Both types of immunotherapies have evidence of efficacy, but actually they present wide differences in both effectiveness and safety. Indeed, as far as the effectiveness of VIT is concerned, if the protection against fatal reactions to stings is considered as the primary objective, more than 40 years of clinical practice demonstrate complete success. Read More

Wilderness Environ Med 2022 Mar 15. Epub 2022 Mar 15.

Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Lankenau Medical Center, Lankenau Institute for Medical Research, Wynnewood, PA. Electronic address:

Hymenoptera stings of the upper airway are rare events, but can result in rapid, life-threatening airway emergencies. The allergenic and toxic mediators that are released from the stings of bees, wasps, and hornets can cause local tissue inflammation and edema with subsequent upper airway obstruction. We report the case of a 15-y-old girl who suffered a bee sting to the uvula while zip-lining in Costa Rica. Read More

Asian Pac J Allergy Immunol 2022 Mar 12. Epub 2022 Mar 12.

Department of Chest Diseases, Division of Immunology and Allergy, School of Medicine, Ankara University, Ankara, Turkey.

Background: Hymenoptera stings can cause systemic allergic reactions (SARs) that are prevented by venom immunotherapy (VIT). Sting challenge tests or field stings are used to evaluate the outcome of VIT.

Objective: The aim of the study was to investigate the consequences of field stings in patients during or after completion of VIT, and to identify patients at higher risk. Read More

Allergol Immunopathol (Madr) 2022 1;50(2):58-64. Epub 2022 Mar 1.

Allergy Department, Hospital Universitario Reina Sofía, Córdoba, Spain. ARADyAL Spanish Thematic Network and Co-operative Research Centre RD16/0006/0018, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid; Instituto Maimónides de Investigación Biomédica, Córdoba.

Objective: The objective of this study was to list the social vespids occurring in Spain, determine their presence in each region, and correlate the data with the vespids responsible for allergic reactions and their progression over time.

Methods: Insects distribution data were collected in two phases: from the southern half of Spain (2008-2012), and from the northern half of Spain (2016-2019). Data for the vespids were collected from the prescriptions of Hymenoptera venom immunotherapy (HVIT) at six Spanish hospitals in the years 2009 and 2019. Read More

Biology (Basel) 2022 Feb 11;11(2). Epub 2022 Feb 11.

Animal Health Research: Galicia (INVESAGA), Department of Animal Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Santiago de Compostela, 27002 Lugo, Spain.

Epidemiology of Hymenopteran-related deaths in Europe, based on official registers from WHO Mortality Database (Cause Code of Death: X23), are presented. Over a 23-year period (1994-2016), a total of 1691 fatalities were recorded, mostly occurring in Western (42.8%) and Eastern (31. Read More

Toxicon 2022 Apr 5;209:43-49. Epub 2022 Feb 5.

Division of Nephrology, Guangxi People's Hospital, Guangyuan, China.

Objective: To establish and validate a model to predict acute kidney injury (AKI) following wasp stings.

Methods: In this multicentre prospective study, 508 patients with wasp stings from July 2015 to December 2019 were randomly divided into a training set (n = 381) and a validation set (n = 127) for internal and external validation. Risk factors were identified, and a model was established to predict the probability of AKI following multiple wasp stings using an individual nomogram and a predictive formula. Read More

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2022 02;119(7)

Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia;

Venoms are excellent model systems for studying evolutionary processes associated with predator-prey interactions. Here, we present the discovery of a peptide toxin, MIITX-Mg1a, which is a major component of the venom of the Australian giant red bull ant and has evolved to mimic, both structurally and functionally, vertebrate epidermal growth factor (EGF) peptide hormones. We show that Mg1a is a potent agonist of the mammalian EGF receptor ErbB1, and that intraplantar injection in mice causes long-lasting hypersensitivity of the injected paw. Read More

Turk Thorac J 2021 May;22(3):265-266

Division of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Department of Chest Diseases, Hacettepe University School of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey.

Historically snake, scorpion, and hymenoptera venom have been used to treat various diseases. It is well known that alternative and/or complementary treatment options are widely used, especially among cancer patients. The case we describe here has lung carcinoma and received blue scorpion venom as an alternative therapy. Read More

J Cell Biol 2022 02 21;221(2). Epub 2022 Jan 21.

Department of Cell Biology, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Braunschweig, Germany.

WASP is a remodeler of the actin cytoskeleton, but its mechanistic contribution to neutrophil migration is unclear. In this issue, Brunetti et al. (2021. Read More

Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol 2022 04 12;128(4):474-475. Epub 2022 Jan 12.

Allergist, Milan, Italy.

Molecules 2021 Dec 27;27(1). Epub 2021 Dec 27.

Departamento de Química Orgánica, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Santiago de Compostela, Alfonso X el Sabio, 27002 Lugo, Spain.

The yellow-legged Asian hornet ( Lepeletier 1836 (Hymenoptera: Vespidae)) is naturally distributed in China, Southeast Asia, and India; however, recently it has been detected outside of its native area, confirmed as being established in South Korea, Europe, and Japan. Health risks and deaths caused by the invasive stings have become a public health concern, being the most common cause of anaphylaxis due to hymenopterans in some European regions. This in turn has led to increased demand from medical practitioners and researchers for venom for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. Read More

Pediatr Emerg Care 2022 Jan;38(1):e385-e386

From the Paediatric Dermatology Department, Chelsea and Westminster NHS Foundation TRUST, London, United Kingdom.

Objectives: To characterize the clinical presentation, possible trigger factors and seasonality of acute urticaria (AU) in children referred to the emergency department in a teaching hospital in London, United Kingdom.

Methods: This was a retrospective descriptive study. One hundred and sixty-three consecutive patients younger than 18 years with the diagnosis of AU who attended accident and emergency department from January 2018 until January 2020 at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital in London, United Kingdom, were included in the study. Read More

Acta Med Port 2021 Nov 2;34(11):784-795. Epub 2021 Nov 2.

Serviço de Doenças Infeciosas. Centro Hospitalar Universitário do Porto. Porto. Portugal.

There are many native species of animals with the potential to cause severe disease in Portugal. Of the four clinically relevant snake species, the vipers (Vipera latastei and Vipera seoanei) are the most concerning. They can cause severe disease and require in-hospital management, monitoring and specific treatment, including the administration of anti-snake venom serum. Read More

J Econ Entomol 2022 02;115(1):266-272

USDA, APHIS, PPQ, Science and Technology, Raleigh, NC, USA.

The red imported fire ant, Solenopsis invicta (Buren), is an invasive pest of agricultural, urban, and natural areas. It is also considered a public health pest due to its painful stings. While it can be efficiently controlled by commercially available fire ant baits formulated with a corn-grit carrier, rain or irrigation is thought to degrade the carrier, compromising bait effectiveness. Read More

Front Med (Lausanne) 2021 26;8:717290. Epub 2021 Nov 26.

Allergy Unit, Department of Pediatrics, Meyer Children's University Hospital, Florence, Italy.

Hymenoptera stings are generally well-tolerated and usually cause limited local reactions, characterized by self-resolving erythema and edema associated with pain. However, Hymenoptera stings can induce immediate and delayed hypersensitivity reactions. In addition to these manifestations, unusual reactions to Hymenoptera stings have been reported. Read More

Immunol Allergy Clin North Am 2022 02;42(1):161-173

Johns Hopkins University, 25 Crossroads Drive #410, Owings Mills, MD 21117, USA.

Hymenoptera stinging insects are common culprits for allergic reactions. Anaphylaxis to insect stings can be life threatening and is associated with a significant risk of recurrence. Insect allergy requires referral to an allergist/immunologist for education and for diagnostic evaluation that will direct further management and treatment. Read More

Toxins (Basel) 2021 10 21;13(11). Epub 2021 Oct 21.

Australian National Insect Collection, Commonwealth Science & Industry Research Organisation, Australian Capital Territory, Canberra 2601, Australia.

Parasitoid wasps represent the plurality of venomous animals, but have received extremely little research in proportion to this taxonomic diversity. The lion's share of investigation into insect venoms has focused on eusocial hymenopterans, but even this small sampling shows great promise for the development of new active substances. The family Pompilidae is known as the spider wasps because of their reproductive habits which include hunting for spiders, delivering a paralyzing sting, and entombing them in burrows with one of the wasp's eggs to serve as food for the developing larva. Read More

BMJ Case Rep 2021 Nov 15;14(11). Epub 2021 Nov 15.

General Surgery, BYL Nair Charitable Hospital, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India.

In India, bee stings are very common, seen mainly in farmers and honey collectors. Usually, it presents with local reactions and anaphylaxis. It rarely requires urgent hospitalisation. Read More

J Assoc Physicians India 2021 Nov;69(11):11-12

Associate Professor, Midnapore Medical College, Midnapore, West Bengal.

Toxicon 2022 Jan 10;205:1-10. Epub 2021 Nov 10.

Department of Oncology, Xiangyang Central Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Hubei University of Arts and Science, Xiangyang, 441000, Hubei, China. Electronic address:

The pathophysiological mechanisms involved in wasp-sting-induced acute kidney injury (AKI) remain largely unknown. Here, we combined proteomics and metabolomics to investigate the mechanisms behind multiple wasp sting-induced AKI. Interestingly, we found many differentially abundant proteins in the serum of AKI group compared with that of the non-AKI and control groups, involved in several metabolic pathways and the regulation of cellular processes. Read More

Clin Exp Allergy 2022 02 10;52(2):345-347. Epub 2021 Nov 10.

Allergy Department, Faculty of Medicine, Complejo Hospitalario Universitario de Santiago, University of Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain.

Allergy 2022 03 12;77(3):1032-1035. Epub 2021 Nov 12.

Department of Clinical Sciences, Section of Biochemistry, Biology and Physics, Marche Polytechnic University, Ancona, Italy.

Blood Purif 2022 28;51(4):365-375. Epub 2021 Oct 28.

Department of Nephrology, People's Hospital of Jianyang, Jianyang, China.

Background/aim: This study mainly aimed to explore the therapeutic effects of 3 renal replacement therapy (RRT) modalities on acute kidney injury (AKI) caused by wasp stings.

Methods: A retrospective study from September 2016 to December 2019 was conducted. Thirty-one patients with AKIs caused by wasp sting were selected and divided into 3 groups according to the initial RRT modality received, namely, (1) the intermittent hemodialysis combined with hemoperfusion (IHD + HP) group, (2) the continuous veno-venous hemodiafiltration (CVVHDF) group, and (3) the CVVHDF combined with HP (CVVHDF + HP) group. Read More

G Ital Cardiol (Rome) 2021 11;22(11):944-949

U.O. Cardiologia, Ospedale "Guglielmo da Saliceto", Piacenza.

Background: Kounis syndrome is a hypersensitivity coronary disorder induced by exposure to several triggers; the most common are antibiotics, followed by insect bites.

Methods: We reviewed the literature and identified 66 patients who experienced acute coronary syndrome after insect bites.

Results: The median age was 51 years, and 19. Read More