Common manifestations of insect allergy
Common manifestations of insect allergy involve:
• A large, local, painful, itchy, red swelling developing at the
sting site. Usually this reaction is larger than the normal
non-allergic one. If the sting was in the arm or leg, the swelling
can involve the whole limb. The swelling can last from a few hours
to several days. Medical treatment may be required to alleviate
unpleasant symptoms and speed up the recovery.
• Urticaria (hives) that can involve the skin in areas remote from
the sting site (sometimes it can cover the whole body). The
symptoms may last a few days. They are not dangerous in themselves
and subside spontaneously (i.e. without the need for treatment).
Medical treatment helps to reduce the severity of symptoms and
accelerates the resolution.
• Itching or redness in other parts of the body remote from the
sting site.
Tip: urticaria, generalized itching or redness may signal the onset
of a generalized reaction to the sting. It may progress to an
anaphylactic reaction.
The most serious allergic reaction to insect stings
is anaphylaxis. This is a generalized
reaction that may develop within minutes from the sting and can be
life-threatening because it affects vital body functions such as
respiration, heart function and blood circulation. Luckily these
extreme allergic reactions are quite rare.
An anaphylactic reaction may start with any of the symptoms
described above. In addition, other symptoms suggesting the
involvement of other body organs can occur.
At least one of the following organs may be involved:
• Hoarse voice, swelling of the tongue, difficulty in swallowing
and breathing indicate an involvement of the mouth, throat or
larynx. This situation is very dangerous as a massive swelling may
completely block the passage of air into the lungs and cause
asphyxia. Emergency medical treatment is essential to save the
patient’s life in this situation.
• Chest tightness, coughing, difficulty in breathing associated
with wheezing sounds are caused by an acute narrowing of the air
passage, similar to an asthma attack. This situation can also be
life-threatening in the case of a very pronounced narrowing when
breathing becomes impossible. In this situation immediate
administration of drugs which dilate (enlarge) the air passage is
essential.
• Racing heart, dizziness, light headedness, feelings of acute
anxiety or loss of consciousness occur when there is involvement of
the heart and blood vessels. These symptoms are caused by a sudden
enlargement of the blood vessels which is triggered by the
substances released during the allergic response. Occurrence of any
of these signs should be taken very seriously as they indicate a
potentially fatal situation (in case of a pronounced enlargement of
the blood vessels, the circulation of the blood is compromised and
death can occur). The urgent administration of emergency treatment
is essential in this situation.
• Symptoms like nausea, abdominal pain vomiting or diarrhea can
also occur.
Tip: A catastrophic fall in blood pressure due to massive blood
vessel enlargement, severe asthma attacks and asphyxia, are the
most important causes of fatal anaphylactic episodes. Immediate
administration of epinephrine is essential in this situation.
People with asthma and those with underlying cardiovascular
diseases, have a higher risk of developing a severe anaphylactic
reaction. The risk of death increases if the administration of the
emergency treatment is delayed.
You can find more information about anaphylactic reactions in
the Anaphylaxis section.Tip: Even in the same individual, the severity of allergic
reactions to insect stings is variable.
For example, only 50-60% of people who suffered an anaphylactic
reaction will endure a similar reaction in the case of a subsequent
sting.
