COMPARISON OF ALLERGENIC PROPERTIES OF BEE VENOM AND WHOLE BEE BODY EXTRACT

The allergenic properties of bee venom and whole bee body extract were compared by in vivo and in vitro tests. The majority of patients with known bee sting sensitivity had positive intracutaneous skin test reactions with bee venom and had bee venom specific IgE [immunoglobulin E] in their sera. Of 17 patients with positive bee venom skin tests, 9 had positive tests with whole bee body extract. Of 30 sera containing elevated levels of bee venom specific IgE obtained from untreated patients, 14 sera contained whole body specific IgE, but in much lower titers. In RAST [radioallergosorbent test] inhibition experiments using bee venom and whole bee body extract as coupling antigens, bee venom was a more potent inhibiting antigen than whole body extract. Bee venom is a more potent allergen than whole bee body extract.