Insect allergy: The state of the art

Recommendations are derived from experience with the evaluation of over 500 patients and the therapy of over 300 adults and children, and a degree of controversy persists in this field, and additional data must be gathered before a fully defined position can be established.

Abstract

There has been significant recent progress in the diagnosis and treatment of patients with Hymenoptera sensitivity.‘-” Many problems remain, and, indeed, the introduction of new information has raised additional questions. Treatment is highly efficacious but expensive, of long duration, and has an unknown degree of long-term side effects. The question of whom to treat, therefore, becomes critical. With the commercial availability of venoms for immunotherapy, the practicing allergist will need to make a series of difficult decisions. With this in mind, it seems appropriate to present our clinical and laboratory experience during the last five years and to summarize our suggestions concerning the management of patients with an allergy to insect stings. Our recommendations are derived from experience with the evaluation of over 500 patients and the therapy, including inhospital sting, of over 300 adults and children. A degree of controversy persists in this field, and additional data must be gathered before a fully defined position can be established. We have tried to make what follows as precise a statement of what is and is not known as is currently possible. Whole body extract therapy In the first volume of the