Insect sting allergy

Any patient with an allergic reaction after an insect bite should be properly examined by an allergist. If possible, try to identify the insect that stabbed you.

In order to determine if a doctor is allergic to an insect venom, the doctor needs to know when and where the sting occurred, how much time has elapsed between the bite and the first symptoms, and what symptoms have occurred. Antibodies to the poison show a blood test. The examination makes sense at the earliest 6 weeks after the event. If an insect bite causes a strong reaction, the IgE antibody is "consumed" and its amount in the blood is initially negligible. A severe local or general reaction is associated with the risk of a repeated and more severe reaction in the event of further insect bites. The probability is at least 50%. After such an experience, each patient should have (from early spring to late autumn) a "first aid kit" consisting of an antihistamine and a corticoid in tablets, an inhaler plus plus adrenaline in an autoinjector.