title: The analysis of Hymenoptera hypersensitive patients in Ankara, Turkey.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Although there are some published data about the prevalence of honeybee and vespid venom allergy from Turkey, there has been no report about Hymenoptera venom immunotherapy practice. Our aim was to determine the characteristics of Hymenoptera venom hypersensitivity and venom immunotherapy practice in Ankara, Turkey.
  
  
  METHODS
  Demographic and clinical data, intradermal test, and serum specific IgE results of 65 Hymenoptera venom allergic patients who were followed up in our department from February 2005 to August 2009 were analysed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Serum Vespula specific IgE class (p:0.02) and Apis specific IgE class were high (p<0.0001) and Apis intradermal test results were positive (p<0.001) in accordance with the patients' history. However, intradermal test results with Vespula were not consistent with self-reported Hymenoptera type (p:0.15). While Apis specific IgE and intradermal test results were correlated with each other (rho: 0.59, p<0.0001), Vespula specific IgE and intradermal test results were not (rho: 0.2, p:0.17). Intradermal test against Vespula did not discriminate between Apis and Vespula hypersensitive patients. There were no significant differences when the grade of reaction and specific IgE and intradermal test results were compared between Apis and Vespula.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Vespula venom hypersensitivity was more common among our patients. However, intradermal tests with Vespula had limited diagnostic sensitivity and were not correlated with serum specific IgE. Based on our results and previous reports, we recommend that negative skin test responses, especially with Vespula, need further investigation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chest Diseases, Adult Allergy Unit, Hacettepe University Medical School, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Gul
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Karakaya
authors.forename: Ebru
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Celebioglu
authors.forename: A Ugur
authors.initials: AU
authors.lastname: Demir
authors.forename: A Fuat
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Kalyoncu
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D003888:Desensitization, Immunologic; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006927:Hymenoptera / Q000276:immunology*; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012882:Skin Tests; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D007073:Immunoglobulin E