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Bee stings, however - and similarly wasp stings - can sometimes lead to
serious illness.
Such stings can be grouped by the insects known as H
ymenoptera- and the
most common sting is from honeybees, but some wasps and other insects can
also sting, particularly the Vespidae family of wasps. Yellow jacket wasps are
the major cause of allergic reactions to insect stings in the US.
While the information here refers to bee stings for convenience, it applies to
stings cause by both bees and wasps. Look out for introductions to recent
developments that have been covered by MNT's news stories. Also look out
for links to information about related conditions.
1
1-3
In some people, this reaction is an allergic one - but only in those people who
have been sensitized previously by a sting.
1-3
In the US, it is estimated that death from bee stings is 3 or 4 times more
common than from snakebites. The Africanized honeybee, or killer bee, has
reached the southern states and some south-western ones. These are more
aggressive and attack in swarms, causing a more severe reaction than other
bees.
2
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has produced
a pictorial guide to stinging Hymenoptera, including ants and wasps as
well as bees.
Some symptoms that develop after a bee sting signal a severe allergic reaction and
need urgent medical attention - go to anaphylaxis symptoms that need
emergency care.
Most reactions to a sting are mild to moderate and do not involve a severe allergy in children, for example, only about 3% experience any allergic reaction.4
An uncomplicated bee or wasp sting produces these symptoms:2,5,6
Pain at the site of the sting - instant, sharp, burning pain usually lasting a few
seconds (find out the most painful place for a bee sting, or the insect with
the most painful sting)
A swollen red mark (erythema) at the site of about half an inch but up to two,
which can be itchy and painful
The swelling and redness (hives, welts) may peak at around 48 hours after
the sting and last for up to a week.
Worse symptoms are more likely if there have been multiple stings - there can
be a rash, fever, nausea andheadache. Multiple stings can be fatal for
children
Swollen and painful joints can occur after several days in rare cases
Some symptoms are the same as those suffered by people with a severe
allergic reaction, so get urgent help just in case - these include nausea,
vomiting or diarrhea, feeling dizzy or fainting, difficulty breathing and
lowblood pressure.
Sometimes a sting can become infected. Consult a doctor if the area affected shows
a puss discharge or there is an increase in the normal pain, swelling and redness
that was produced by the initial sting.6
Most bee stings can be treated without medical attention. First aid for someone who
has been stung by a bee or wasp includes a number of dos and don'ts.2-4,6-9
DO:
Stay with the person to watch out for any severe reaction that could develop
Call for urgent medical help if there are signs of a severe allergic reaction
Remove the stinger promptly if it remains - honey bee stingers are barbed and
usually remain in the skin, and prompt removal is needed since the injection
mechanism continues
To remove the stinger, wipe over it with a piece of gauze, or scrape a finger
nail, piece of card or a bank card over it
Remain calm - walk away calmly since wasps and hornets can sting again
(they do not usually leave a stinger)
Wash the site of the sting with plain soap and water
Apply a cold compress - ice, frozen peas or cold cloth to reduce swelling
DON'T:
Leave the person alone - they may develop a severe reaction
Squeeze the stinger in an attempt to remove it - this can cause more venom
to be injected
Scratch the sting - this could aggravate the problem and lead to an infection
Panic! Waving around will not help, and wasps and hornets do not usually
leave a stinger - so they may sting again
Burst any blisters that develop since this can lead to infection.
Prevention
A number of practical steps can be taken to reduce the risk of being stung by a
bee.2,3,5,6,9
DO:
Keep clothing clean and maintain personal hygiene - sweat may anger bees
Wear shoes
Keep areas clean, especially involving food - cover food containers and trash
cans
Keep an eye out for bees - use widely brimmed cups when drinking sweet
drinks to make seeing a bee easier
Take care with any activities such as garden trimming that could provoke a
nest.
DON'T:
Wear brightly colored and flower print clothing, or fragrances and cosmetics
that have floral scents; bananasand banana-scented toiletries should also be
avoided
Nonetheless, one researcher felt that it was important to learn how different sting
locations around the body compared on a rating scale for pain.10
Michael Smith, PhD, of Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, selected 25 locations
throughout the human body and conducted an experiment to rate the painfulness of
a sting at each location caused by a honey bee.
Compared with the rating of 5 assigned to the median level of pain at the forearm, all
stings were rated on a scale from 1 to 10, from low to high pain severity.
Randomly assigning which location he would allow himself to be stung next and
using the same morning slot, Dr. Smith left at least 5 minutes between each sting for
the pain to subside. He subjected himself to three rounds of stinging for each
location, to give some consistency to the results.
Dr. Schmidt's list of stings groups them into a rating from low to high pain from 1 to 4
- the honey bee sting produces a mid-level pain:11