We report the case of a patient who suffered two epileptic attacks, each one associated with an
anaphylactic shock due to
wasp venom. He had no history of atopy nor any known diseases. Previous wasp
stings had been well tolerated. An
IgE-mediated hypersensitivity to the
venom was shown both by cutaneous and immunologic tests. Specific
IgE against Polistes spp.
venom was 0.86 kU/I (RAST method), and intradermal tests with Polistes spp.
venom were positive at a concentration of 1 microgram/ml. Cutaneous tests and serum specific
IgE against Vespula spp. and Apis mellifera
venoms were negative. In addition to that,
wasp venom immunotherapy has been a highly effective treatment. Although convulsions may occur as a complication of
anaphylaxis, only a few cases have been reported in the literature because of
wasp venom. In our patient, it seems more likely that the epileptic attacks were due to
anoxemia due to
hypotension caused by vasodilatation and cardiac involvement in
anaphylaxis.