title: [Assessment of hypersensitivity to honey-bee venom in beekeepers by skin tests].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Beekeepers are exposed to frequent honey-bee stings, and have the risk to develop hypersensitivity to bee venom, but long-term exposure can induce immune tolerance in them. Up to 30% of beekeepers show positive skin tests with honey-bee venom. The prevalence of systemic reactions to bee stings in beekeepers is from 14% to 42%.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To know the prevalence of hypersensitivity to honeybee venom in Mexican beekeepers and non-beekeepers by the use of skin tests.
  
  
  METHODS
  A group of 139 beekeepers and a group of 60 non-beekeeper volunteers had a history and physical related to age, sex, family and personal atopic history and time of exposure to bee stings. Both groups received intradermal skin tests with honey-bee venom, 0.1 mcg/mL and 1 mcg/mL, and histamine sulphate 0.1 mg/mL and Evans solution as controls. The skin tests results of both groups were compared by chi-squared test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the group of beekeepers, 116 were men (83%) and 23 women, average age was 39.3 years, had atopic family history 28% and personal atopy 13%, average time of exposure to bee stings was 10.9 years, skin tests with honey-bee venom were positive in 16.5% and 11% at 1 mcg/mL and 0.1 mcg/mL, respectively. In the non-beekeepers group venom skin tests were positive in 13.3% and 6.7% at 1 mcg/mL and 0.1 mcg/mL. We did not find significant differences between the two venom concentrations tested in both groups, neither in the number of positive skin tests between the two groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We found hypersensivity to honey-bee venom slightly higher in the beekeepers than in the group apparently not exposed. Both honey-bee venom concentrations used did not show difference in the results of the skin tests. The similarity of skin tests positivity between both groups could be explained by immune tolerance due to continued exposure of beekeepers.
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Alergia e Inmunología Clínica, Unidad Médica de Alta Especialidad, Hospital de Especialidades "Dr. Antonio Fraga Mouret", Centro Médico Nacional La Raza, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, México, DF. mbecer5@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Martín
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Becerril-Ángeles
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Núñez-Velázquez
authors.forename: Javier
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Marín-Martínez
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000485:Allergens / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D000918:Antibody Specificity; D001514:Bee Venoms / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000494:pharmacology; D056630:Beekeeping; D001516:Bees / Q000276:immunology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004306:Dose-Response Relationship, Immunologic; D005260:Female; D006636:Histamine Release / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D006969:Hypersensitivity, Immediate / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000276:immunology; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D007299:Insect Bites and Stings / Q000276:immunology; D007428:Intradermal Tests; D008297:Male; D008800:Mexico / Q000453:epidemiology; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000276:immunology; D015995:Prevalence
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens; D001514:Bee Venoms; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007073:Immunoglobulin E
keywords: Beekeepers; Honey-bee; Hypersensitivity; Skin tests; Venom