Successful administration of a 1-day imported fire ant rush immunotherapy protocol.
BACKGROUND
Young children with a history of systemic reactions to imported fire ant (IFA) stings are at substantial risk of recurrent stings because of their maturational inability to practice appropriate avoidance techniques.


OBJECTIVE
To present 3 cases in which patients 36 months or younger completed a 1-day rush immunotherapy (RIT) protocol with IFA whole-body extract (WBE).


METHODS
The 1-day RIT protocol used for these patients was modified from the Wilford Hall 2-day rush protocol previously published. A 1:1 vol/vol maintenance vial consisted of 1 mL of IFA WBE and 9 mL of human serum albumin diluent in a 10-mL vial.


RESULTS
All 3 patients had positive intradermal skin test results to IFA WBE. No systemic reactions occurred during the 1-day RIT.


CONCLUSIONS
This case series provides data with which we can begin to assess the efficacy and safety of a 1-day IFA RIT protocol for the prevention of anaphylaxis in IFA allergic children. Further studies with larger numbers of patients are needed to confirm the findings.
Judd
Courtney A
CA
Department of Allergy and Immunology, Wilford Hall Medical Center, Lackland Air Force Base, San Antonio, Texas, USA.
Parker
Amy L
AL
Meier
Eric A
EA
Tankersley
Michael S
MS
D000818:Animals; D000862:Ant Venoms / Q000276:immunology*; D001000:Ants / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology; D001733:Bites and Stings / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology; D002675:Child, Preschool; D045424:Complex Mixtures / Q000276:immunology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003888:Desensitization, Immunologic / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D006969:Hypersensitivity, Immediate / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D012882:Skin Tests; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000862:Ant Venoms; D045424:Complex Mixtures