Ant sting mortality in Australia.
We investigated ant sting related fatalities in Australia over the period 1980-1999. Data was obtained from the Australian Bureau of Statistics and state coronial authorities. Six ant sting-related fatalities were identified, five in Tasmania and one in New South Wales. All were males aged between 40 and 80-years-of-age and most (5/6) had prior histories of jumper or bull ant (Myrmecia spp.) venom allergy. However, none of the deceased carried injectable adrenaline and most died within 20 min of a single sting. Significant cardiopulmonary co-morbidities were identified in all cases and, in addition, moderate-severe laryngeal oedema and coronary atherosclerosis was observed in most (4/6) cases at autopsy. Where ascertained, Myrmecia ant venom specific immunoglobulin E antibodies levels were always elevated and fell into two distinct patterns of immunoreactivity. Adult Tasmanian males with a prior history of ant venom allergy and cardiopulmonary co-morbidities are therefore at highest risk of a fatal outcome from ant stings. Deaths may be avoided by the early recognition of anaphylaxis and self-treatment with adrenaline as well as by the development of purified Myrmecia ant venom immunotherapy.
McGain
Forbes
F
Australian Venom Research Unit, Department of Pharmacology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, 3010 Vic., Australia.
Winkel
Kenneth D
KD
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D000862:Ant Venoms / Q000276:immunology; D001000:Ants; D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000150:complications / Q000401:mortality; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000032:analysis; D007299:Insect Bites and Stings / Q000401:mortality*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases / Q000097:blood; D053802:Tryptases
D000862:Ant Venoms; D007073:Immunoglobulin E; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases; D053802:Tryptases