Nw. De Jong et al., Allergy to bumblebee venom. III. Immunotherapy follow-up study (safety andefficacy) in patients with occupational bumblebee-venom anaphylaxis, ALLERGY, 54(9), 1999, pp. 980-984
Background: The objective was to investigate whether venom immunotherapy wi
th bumblebee venom (BBV) is safe and effective.
Methods: Eleven patients with severe occupational anaphylaxis caused by sti
ngs of bumblebees were studied. Sensitization to bumblebee venom was confir
med by skin tests and RAST. Immunotherapy was started with bumblebee venom
extract by the semirush procedure, because these patients showed a primary
sensitization to Bombus venom, and a low or absent degree of cross-reactivi
ty with honeybee venom. IgE titer and skin tests with bumblebee venom were
performed yearly. Efficacy was evaluated by means of in-hospital sting chal
lenge and/or occupational field stings from bumblebees.
Results: All patients reached maintenance dose in 6 weeks without severe si
de-effects. During the follow-up period (1.5-5 years), three systemic react
ions in two patients were seen in 20 bumblebee stings. However, these react
ions were milder than the index sting.
Conclusions: Immunotherapy with bumblebee venom is safe and effective, and
is comparable with honeybee and yellow-jacket venom immunotherapy.