[Assessment of hypersensitivity to honey-bee venom in beekeepers by skin tests].

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Beekeepers are exposed to frequent honey-bee stings, and have the risk to develop hypersensitivity to bee venom, but long-term exposure can induce immune tolerance in them. Up to 30% of beekeepers show positive skin tests with honey-bee venom. The prevalence of systemic reactions to bee stings in beekeepers is from 14% to 42%.

OBJECTIVE:

To know the prevalence of hypersensitivity to honeybee venom in Mexican beekeepers and non-beekeepers by the use of skin tests.

MATERIAL AND METHODS:

A group of 139 beekeepers and a group of 60 non-beekeeper volunteers had a history and physical related to age, sex, family and personal atopic history and time of exposure to bee stings. Both groups received intradermal skin tests with honey-bee venom, 0.1 mcg/mL and 1 mcg/mL, and histamine sulphate 0.1 mg/mL and Evans solution as controls. The skin tests results of both groups were compared by chi-squared test.

RESULTS:

Of the group of beekeepers, 116 were men (83%) and 23 women, average age was 39.3 years, had atopic family history 28% and personal atopy 13%, average time of exposure to bee stings was 10.9 years, skin tests with honey-bee venom were positive in 16.5% and 11% at 1 mcg/mL and 0.1 mcg/mL, respectively. In the non-beekeepers group venom skin tests were positive in 13.3% and 6.7% at 1 mcg/mL and 0.1 mcg/mL. We did not find significant differences between the two venom concentrations tested in both groups, neither in the number of positive skin tests between the two groups.

CONCLUSIONS:

We found hypersensivity to honey-bee venom slightly higher in the beekeepers than in the group apparently not exposed. Both honey-bee venom concentrations used did not show difference in the results of the skin tests. The similarity of skin tests positivity between both groups could be explained by immune tolerance due to continued exposure of beekeepers.

• Authors: Martín Becerril-Ángeles, Marco Núñez-Velázquez, Javier Marín-Martínez, Grupo del Programa Nacional de Control de la Abeja Africanizada SAGARPA
• Journal: Revista alergia Mexico (Tecamachalco, Puebla, Mexico : 1993) (Rev Alerg Mex) 2013 Oct-Dec Vol. 60 Issue 4 Pg. 164-7 ISSN: 0002-5151 [Print] Mexico
• Vernacular Title: Valoración mediante pruebas cutáneas de la hipersensibilidad al veneno de abeja en apicultores.
• PMID: 24912908 (Publication Type: English Abstract, Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Allergens
• Bee Venoms
• Immunoglobulin G
• Immunoglobulin E

Topics

• Adult
• Allergens (adverse effects, pharmacology)
• Animals
• Antibody Specificity
• Bee Venoms (adverse effects, pharmacology)
• Beekeeping
• Bees (immunology)
• Cross-Sectional Studies
• Dose-Response Relationship, Immunologic
• Female
• Histamine Release (drug effects)
• Humans
• Hypersensitivity, Immediate (epidemiology, etiology, immunology)
• Immunoglobulin E (blood, immunology)
• Immunoglobulin G (blood, immunology)
• Insect Bites and Stings (immunology)
• Intradermal Tests
• Male
• Mexico (epidemiology)
• Occupational Diseases (epidemiology, etiology, immunology)
• Prevalence