Treatment of insect venom allergy

This is an automatically translated article.

The article was professionally approved by Master, Doctor Dang Huy Toan - Department of Pediatrics - Neonatology - Vinmec Nha Trang International General Hospital
Insect stings are a common accident and victims can have different allergic manifestations. The insects that bite people often are yellow bees, wasps, fire ants... So what is insect venom allergy and how should it be treated?

1. What is insect venom allergy?

Insect venom is poisonous and when we are bitten by an insect, their venom will enter the body. At this point, the body's immune system will mistake the insect's venom as a foreign object and trigger allergic reactions to fight the toxin. During the process, the immune system produces substances to fight the venom against insect stings, the most important being IgE antibodies. This is considered the main cause of insect venom allergy symptoms.
In the first cases of insect stings, the amount of IgE antibodies produced by the immune system is relatively small to fight the insect venom, then the patient usually has no obvious symptoms.
However, in the case of being bitten by the same insect in the following times, the amount of IgE antibodies will be generated massively, and the response level is also much faster and stronger.
IgE antibodies will trigger a series of reactions to release inflammatory mediators, especially histamine, and lead to severe insect venom allergy symptoms.

2. What are the signs of an insect bite?

Many people know that some types of insect venom are poisonous, but when bitten by an insect, the victim is still normal and does not show severe symptoms, so they often have a subjective mentality, without prior prevention.
However, the manifestations of insect venom allergy are difficult to predict, ranging from mild to no symptoms to severe in the setting of anaphylaxis and life-threatening. Manifestations of insect bites include:
Mild insect sting allergy: often asymptomatic or may have local manifestations of insect sting such as burning pain, mild swelling, skin redness, heat, itching. .. These symptoms usually resolve on their own after a few days; Severe insect venom allergy (very rare rate) such as difficulty breathing, rash with itching all over, swelling of the face, throat, oral cavity or tongue... At worst, anaphylaxis such as difficulty breathing more, restlessness, anxiety, rapid pulse, low blood pressure... and life-threatening if not treated promptly.

3. Treatment of insect venom allergy

In case of mild allergic reaction
Move patient to a safe place to avoid more insect stings; Remove the stinger from the victim's body as quickly as possible (ideally within the first 30 seconds) to avoid further release of venom into the bloodstream; Wash the wound caused by an insect bite with soap and clean water; If the sting is painful, you can apply an ice pack to help reduce local pain; Using pain relievers such as paracetamol or ibuprofen; Apply creams containing ingredients such as hydrocortisone, lidocaine, pramoxine... topically to help relieve pain and reduce itching; In case the victim has a lot of itching, swelling and hives, the patient can take antihistamines. Note that contraindications of this group of drugs are children under 2 years old or pregnant women. In case of severe allergic reaction, the patient should be taken to the hospital as soon as possible. In the meantime, the same treatment can be done for mild allergies. In addition, some additional work can be done such as:
Check that the patient has brought anti-allergy injectables and use them as directed on the needle; Remove clothing if the patient is pale, has difficulty breathing; If the patient vomits or bleeds from the mouth, place the patient on his or her side to avoid obstruction of the airway; Conduct cardiopulmonary resuscitation immediately if the patient has signs of cardiac arrest, apnea. Severe cases of insect venom allergies are common in patients with pre-existing allergies, so it is best to carry a first-aid kit so that you can use it when needed.

4. Prevention of allergy caused by insect stings

Prevention is better than cure, so we should take preventive measures against insect bites, especially in people who have a previous allergy to insect venom.
Limit places with insect nests such as beehives, ant nests... Yellow honeycombs are often found in the ground, in high mounds or old logs and walls. Wasps often nest in dense bushes or indoors. Fire ant nests often appear in places with high mounds... If it is necessary to go to these places, absolutely do not disturb the insect nest because an allergy from an insect bite can be mild, but if moved going to the nest and being bitten by many insects at the same time, the consequences can be very unpredictable; Wear shoes, socks, long-sleeved shirts, long pants when in rural or wooded areas. Do not use perfume or wear brightly colored clothing, which tends to attract insects when visiting these places; If you go to the forest, row a boat, swim or work outdoors... you should go with many people so that you can support each other when bitten by insects; Families in the countryside or around the house with many trees should equip a screen at the door, clear the bushes and keep the house clean and hygienic both inside and outside. Insect allergies can leave dangerous complications affecting health. Therefore, each person needs to equip themselves with knowledge about effective treatment and prevention of insect stings. When experiencing problems, allergies caused by insect stings, it is best for patients to go to medical centers for examination and treatment.

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