The general rule is that when a sting wasp, bee, or other equally dangerous insect, the behavior depends on the type of insect and the severity of the inflammatory reaction. It is important that our reaction is based on the experience that previous stings did not cause severe edema or even anaphylactic shock?
Treatment of poor local reaction to insect bites
If this is another, a small local systemic reaction (slight swelling, erythema and pain or burning) - after a thorough removal of the sting cold compresses that relieve pain and burning are sufficient. They can also be made with special anti-edema gels, antihistamines or regular baking soda which significantly reduces swelling.
Treatment of moderate systemic reaction to a bite - so-called generalized
How should we behave if we are allergy sufferers and if we pass through a wasp or bee, we undergo an average or severe anaphylactic shock? If the wasp's or bee's bite caused: fainting, headaches, malaise, diarrhea, etc. - then in this case, we should go to the doctor as soon as possible. Although it is not always necessary to administer drugs, e.g. antihistamines, observation is necessary. In more than 50% of cases, the allergic reaction occurs almost immediately, but it can also occur after a few hours or even days. The doctor should also consider the possibility of desensitization, which protects against anaphylactic shock.
Treatment of a severe systemic reaction - severe angioneurotic edema, laryngeal edema, bronchospasm, anaphylactic shock
Primarily: adrenaline, beta2-mimetics, antihistamines and glucocorticoids (oral and intravenous).
Is it possible to protect against the effects of anaphylactic shock?
Allergies usually carry with them the necessary medications. These are the most commonly antihistamines. In case of severe allergies to insect venom, they may turn out to be too weak. That's why doctors recommend people from the risk group (mainly people who are highly allergic to insect venom and people exposed to frequent stings) - carrying special sets of anti-shock medicines to save life (one of them is adrenaline!), Which the patient can inject himself. Another even better protection is desensitization.
Who should be desensitized to the venom of insects besides allergies?
Holidaymakers, farmers, gardeners and especially beekeepers are particularly exposed to frequent stings. However, they react much less well because they are naturally desensitized by frequent stings. As you can see, this is a very effective method, and in the case of a medical procedure safe and painless. It protects 100%. against the effects of Venom venom and 75-80 percent. bees - from one to five years.
How to determine who should get an adrenaline anti-shock kit?
Diagnostic tests in allergy sufferers and other people at risk to detect sensitization are:
1) skin tests (point, and in the case of negative - intradermal)
2) allergen specific IgE antibody determination - RAST test or its modifications.
3) concentration of tryptase in blood serum.
In people with an anaphylactic reaction, severe allergy to insect venom is confirmed by a positive skin test with a venom allergen or the presence of venom-specific IgE antibodies in the serum.
Dehumidification of hymenoptera venoms, i.e. wasps, hornets and bees - method used in Poland
Desensitization is preceded by the performance of diagnostic tests aimed at the identification of the insect, involves the implementation of skin tests with insect venoms and the determination of appropriate antibodies in the serum. After qualifying for the risk group, the patient receives seven to ten increasing doses of the anti-seronegative vaccine.Desensitization of hymenoptera venom can be carried out in the ultrafast system, the so-called ultrarush. In this method, the patient receives the above-mentioned doses of serum every 30 minutes, and then is observed for one day in the hospital ward. Already after one day, a sensitized person may be "insensitive" to a sting, but to sustain the produced resistance to venom, the doses of the vaccine should be continued, initially at 1 and 2 weeks intervals, and then 6- or 8 weeks for a few years, in depending on the predisposition of the given organism.
Who can prescribe desensitization?
An appropriate decision-maker is only an allergist doctor. After performing appropriate skin tests and determination of specific antibodies, it can determine whether the reaction to insect venom is an allergic reaction (or not) - and, depending on this, recommend appropriate desensitization. One is comforting. Hypersensitivity to insect venom is a self-limiting process, i.e. for every subsequent sting the organism is generally - though not always - less responsive.
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ed. Edward Ozga Michalski, MA
consultation of prof. dr hab. med. Andrzej Danysz
