Bee sting

Muller U, Thumheer U, Patrizzi R, Spiess J, Hoigne R Immunotherapy in bee sting hypersensitvity. Allergy 1979 34 369-378. 

Figure 6.4 Many insects, including bees, use acids and bases to defend themselves. A bee sting s venom is acidic.

Insects Mosquito bite, bee sting, ticks, mites... 

I immediate Soluble Clonal expansion B cells Cyto-philic antibody (IgE) generated binds to mast cells Antigen binds to cell bound antibody crosslinks receptors, causing release of mediators Anaphylactic response to bee sting immediate response in allergic asthma... 

Despite the fact that a definite decrease in IgE antibody levels and IgE-mediated skin sensitivity normally requires several years of SIT, most patients are protected against bee stings already at an early stage of bee venom-SIT. The reason for this is that effector cells of allergic inflammation, such as mast cells, basophils and eosinophils. 

Look on the pH chart to find out. Bee stings also contain acid, but the pain from a bee sting mostly comes from other substances. Rubbing a weak base on a bee sting probably won t help much, but applying ice will. Ice numbs the pain and slows down blood flow to the area to reduce swelling. 

Allergic reactions Angioneurotic edema, asthma, bee stings, contact dermatitis, drug reactions, allergic rhinitis, serum sickness, urticaria... 

Bee venom, administered in the form of actual bee stings, has been used to treat people with multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, and other disease that have an autoimmune basis.48 78 This treatment is supposed to modulate the immune response and suppress the damage caused by the activation and attack of immune cells on specific tissues.30 There is little evidence, however, that bee sting therapy can produce beneficial effects in humans.78 Additional research is needed to determine whether these treatments can promote short- or long-term benefits in persons with various autoimmune diseases. 

Wesselius T, Heersema DJ, Mostert JP, et al. A randomized crossover study of bee sting therapy for multiple sclerosis. Neurology. 2005 65 1764-1768. 

Wager B. R. and Breed M. D. (2000) Does honey bee sting alarm pheromone give orientation information to defensive bees Ann. Entomol. Soc. Am. 93, 1329-1332. 

The reactions were diagnosed as anaphylactic shock, a common allergic reaction among bee sting victims, for example. Mine is harder to control because of the popularity of perfumes, fragranced products, cleaners, toiletries and cosmetics, car fumes, fertilizers, and the thousands of items that can cause my vocal cords to swell and my body to go into shut-down mode. 

Simple proteins can also act as potent agents for cell destruction. The main active component of bee sting venom is a protein composed of 26 amino acids called mellitin which adopts a helical, and potentially membrane puncturing, conformation. The protein is also an inhibitor of bacteria that cause Lyme disease and suppresses infections caused by Candida albicans, Mycoplasma hominis and Chlamydia tracomatis. 

Remember that a neutral solution is neither acidic nor basic. In the process of neutralization, an acid and a base are combined and the resulting solution is neutral. A neutralization we all remember is the use of baking soda (a base) on a bee sting (formic acid). Once neutralized, the acid no longer burns. 

However, during the steam-out process, some steam and air formed a mist which contained traces of caustic soda that escaped from the overflow line. If anyone were in the immediate vicinity during the steam-out, they might experience a bee sting sensation. A resourceful employee placed an ordinary 5-gallon plastic bucket on that overflow line and filled it with water. In this way, any steam and air would bubble through the water, capturing any possible caustic mist. 

Release of histamine The release of histamine may be the primary response to some stimuli, but most often, histamine is just one of several chemical mediators released. Stimuli causing the release of histamine from tissues include the destruction of cells as a result of cold, bacterial toxins, bee sting venoms, or trauma. Allergies and anaphylaxis can also trigger release of histamine. 

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