RESEARCH PAPER
Immune and clinical response to honeybee venom in beekeepers
 
More details
Hide details
1
Department of Inorganic and Analytical Chemistry, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poland
 
2
Medical Faculty, Higher Vocational, State School in Kalisz, Poland
 
3
Department of Pediatric Pneumonology, Allergology and Clinical Immunology K. Jonscher Clinical Hospital in Poznań, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poland
 
 
Corresponding author
Jan Matysiak   

Department of Inorganic and Analytical Chemistry, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poland
 
 
Ann Agric Environ Med. 2016;23(1):120-124
 
KEYWORDS
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE:
The aim of the study was to assess immune response to honeybee venom in relation to the degree of exposure, time after a sting and clinical symptoms.

Material and Methods:
Fifty-four volunteers were divided into 2 groups: beekeepers and a control group. The serum levels of total IgE (tIgE), bee venom-specific IgE (venom sIgE), phospholipase A2-specific IgE (phospholipase A2 sIgE), tryptase and venom-specific IgG4 (venom sIgG4) were determined. In beekeepers, diagnostic tests were performed within 3 hours following a sting and were repeated after a minimum of 6 weeks from the last sting. In individuals from the control group, the tests were performed only once, without a sting.

Results:
The tests showed significant differences in venom sIgE (beekeepers' median = 0.34 kUA/l, control group median = 0.29 kUA/l), baseline serum tryptase (beekeepers' median = 4.25 µg/l, control group median = 2.74 µg/l) and sIgG4 (beekeepers' median = 21.2 mgA/l, control group median = 0.14 mgA/l), confirming higher levels of the tested substances in the beekeepers than in the control group. A significant positive correlation was observed between phospholipase A2 sIgE concentration and severity of clinical symptoms after a sting in the group of beekeepers. It was also demonstrated that the clinical symptoms after a sting became less severe with increasing age of the beekeepers.

Conclusions:
The differences in the immune response to a bee sting between the beekeepers and individuals not exposed to bees were probably due to the high exposure of the beekeepers to honeybee venom allergens. This may suggest a different approach to the bee venom allergy diagnostic tests in this occupational group.

REFERENCES (32)
1.
Muller UR. Bee venom allergy in beekeepers and their family members. Curr Opin Allergy Clin Immunol. 2005; 5(4): 343–347.
 
2.
Kalogeromitros D, Makris M, Gregoriou S, Papaioannou D, Katoulis A, Stavrianeas NG. Pattern of sensitization to honeybee venom in beekeepers: a 5-year prospective study. Allergy Asthma Proc. 2006; 27(5): 383–387.
 
3.
Brown TC, Tankersley MS. The sting of the honeybee: an allergic perspective. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol. 2011; 107(6): 463–470; quiz 471.
 
4.
Munstedt K, Hellner M, Winter D, von Georgi R. Allergy to bee venom in beekeepers in Germany. J Investig Allergol Clin Immunol. 2008; 18(2): 100–105.
 
5.
Annila IT, Karjalainen ES, Annila PA, Kuusisto PA. Bee and wasp sting reactions in current beekeepers. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol. 1996; 77(5): 423–427.
 
6.
de la Torre-Morin F, Garcia-Robaina JC, Vazquez-Moncholi C, Fierro J, Bonnet-Moreno C. Epidemiology of allergic reactions in beekeepers: a lower prevalence in subjects with more than 5 years exposure. Allergol Immunopathol. (Madr) 1995; 23(3): 127–132.
 
7.
Blum S, Gunzinger A, Muller UR, Helbling A. Influence of total and specific IgE, serum tryptase, and age on severity of allergic reactions to Hymenoptera stings. Allergy 2011; 66(2): 222–228.
 
8.
Bilo BM, Rueff F, Mosbech H, Bonifazi F, Oude-Elberink JN. Diagnosis of Hymenoptera venom allergy. Allergy 2005; 60(11): 1339–1349.
 
9.
Przybilla B, Rueff F. Hymenoptera venom allergy. J Dtsch Dermatol Ges. 2010; 8(2): 114–127; quiz 128–130.
 
10.
Bilo BM, Bonifazi F. Epidemiology of insect-venom anaphylaxis. Curr Opin Allergy Clin Immunol. 2008; 8(4): 330–337.
 
11.
Niedoszytko M, de Monchy J, van Doormaal JJ, Jassem E, Oude Elberink JN. Mastocytosis and insect venom allergy: diagnosis, safety and efficacy of venom immunotherapy. Allergy 2009; 64(9): 1237–1245.
 
12.
Pastorello EA, Incorvaia C, Sarassi A, Qualizza R, Bigi A, Farioli L. [Epidemiological and clinical study on bee venom allergy among beekeepers]. Boll Ist Sieroter Milan 1988; 67(5–6): 386–392.
 
13.
Celikel S, Karakaya G, Yurtsever N, Sorkun K, Kalyoncu AF. Bee and bee products allergy in Turkish beekeepers: determination of risk factors for systemic reactions. Allergol Immunopathol. (Madr) 2006; 34(5): 180–184.
 
14.
Eich-Wanger C, Muller UR. Bee sting allergy in beekeepers. Clin Exp Allergy 1998; 28(10): 1292–1298.
 
15.
Annila IT, Annila PA, Morsky P. Risk assessment in determining systemic reactivity to honeybee stings in beekeepers. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol. 1997; 78(5): 473–477.
 
16.
Richter AG, Nightingale P, Huissoon AP, Krishna MT. Risk factors for systemic reactions to bee venom in British beekeepers. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol. 2011; 106(2): 159–163.
 
17.
Golden BK. Allergic reactions to hymenoptera. ACP Medicine. Immunology/Allergy 2007; 15: 1–6.
 
18.
Golden DB. Insect sting anaphylaxis. Immunol Allergy Clin North Am. 2007; 27(2): 261–272, vii.
 
19.
Muller UR. Elevated baseline serum tryptase, mastocytosis and anaphylaxis. Clin Exp Allergy 2009; 39(5): 620–622.
 
20.
Bilo MB. Anaphylaxis caused by Hymenoptera stings: from epidemiology to treatment. Allergy 2011; 66 Suppl 95: 35–37.
 
21.
Muller UR, Johansen N, Petersen AB, Fromberg-Nielsen J, Haeberli G. Hymenoptera venom allergy: analysis of double positivity to honey bee and Vespula venom by estimation of IgE antibodies to species-specific major allergens Api m1 and Ves v5. Allergy 2009; 64(4): 543–548.
 
22.
Potier A, Lavigne C, Chappard D, Verret JL, Chevailler A, Nicolie B, et al. Cutaneous manifestations in Hymenoptera and Diptera anaphylaxis: relationship with basal serum tryptase. Clin Exp Allergy 2009; 39(5): 717–725.
 
23.
Rueff F, Chatelain R, Przybilla B. Management of occupational Hymenoptera allergy. Curr Opin Allergy Clin Immunol. 2011; 11(2): 69–74.
 
24.
Phadia, Uppsala, Sweden. www.phadia.com (access: 2013.07.04).
 
25.
Rueff F, Jappe U, Przybilla B. Standards and pitfalls of in-vitro diagnostics of Hymenoptera venom allergy. Hautarzt. 2010; 61(11): 938–945.
 
26.
Rieger-Ziegler V, Rieger E, Kranke B, Aberer W. Hymenoptera venom allergy: time course of specific IgE concentrations during the first weeks after a sting. Int Arch Allergy Immunol. 1999; 120(2): 166–168.
 
27.
Muller UR, Haeberli G. Use of beta-blockers during immunotherapy for Hymenoptera venom allergy. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2005; 115(3): 606–610.
 
28.
Korosec P, Valenta R, Mittermann I, Celesnik N, Erzen R, Zidarn M, et al. Low sensitivity of commercially available rApi m 1 for diagnosis of honeybee venom allergy. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2011; 128(3): 671–673.
 
29.
Muller U, Schmid-Grendelmeier P, Hausmann O, Helbling A. IgE to recombinant allergens Api m 1, Ves v 1, and Ves v 5 distinguish double sensitization from crossreaction in venom allergy. Allergy 2012; 67(8): 1069–1073.
 
30.
Eberlein B, Krischan L, Darsow U, Ollert M, Ring J. Double positivity to bee and wasp venom: improved diagnostic procedure by recombinant allergen-based IgE testing and basophil activation test including data about cross-reactive carbohydrate determinants. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2012; 130(1): 155–161.
 
31.
Rueff F, Przybilla B, Bilo MB, Muller U, Scheipl F, Aberer W, et al. Predictors of severe systemic anaphylactic reactions in patients with Hymenoptera venom allergy: importance of baseline serum tryptase-a study of the European Academy of Allergology and Clinical Immunology Interest Group on Insect Venom Hypersensitivity. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2009; 124(5): 1047–1054.
 
32.
Manso EC, Morato-Castro FF, Yee CJ, Croce M, Palma MS, Croce J. Honeybee venom-specific IgG subclass antibodies in Brazilian beekeepers and in patients allergic to bee stings. J Investig Allergol Clin Immunol. 1998; 8(1): 46–51.
 
eISSN:1898-2263
ISSN:1232-1966
Journals System - logo
Scroll to top