Prevalence of Hymenoptera venom allergy and sensitization in the population-representative German KORA cohort

Abstract

Purpose Allergic reactions to Hymenoptera venoms represent potentially life-threatening conditions. However, studies on their prevalence in Germany and their relation to specific IgE sensitization are rare. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of Hymenoptera venom allergy as well as the frequency of venom-specific IgE sensitization in a large population-based adult German cohort. Methods Questionnaire data were collected from the participants of the German population-based KORA S. Blank and S. Haemmerle contributed equally to this work.

Marker allergens in Hymenoptera venom allergy — Characteristics and potential use in precision medicine

“…As sIgE sensitization rates depend on various factors, the definition of minor and major allergens is difficult in many cases and should perhaps be handled flexible, depending on the assessed patient popula-review tion and the methods used. Additionally, sIgE sensitization per se implies no information about its clinical relevance [22] and the ability of allergens to activate effector cells [23].…”

Sensitization to Hymenoptera venom in pollen allergic patients: Frequency and involvement of cross-reacting carbohydrate determinants (CCD)

“…• 3. High t-IgE levels may influence the rate of sensitization to bee and wasp venoms [13,19]. Indeed, none of the 22 subjects in our study with a t-IgE <50 IU/l showed sIgE to Hymenoptera venoms whereas 24 of 31 (77.4%) with a t-IgE >250 IU/l had sIgE to Hymenoptera venoms.…”

Precision Medicine in Hymenoptera Venom Allergy: Diagnostics, Biomarkers, and Therapy of Different Endotypes and Phenotypes

“…Interestingly, the presence of sIgE does not necessarily imply clinically relevant venom allergy. Between 9% and 29% of the population are sensitized to Hymenoptera venoms without previous clinical history of a sting reaction (39,40). For most of these patients it is likely that the sensitization is asymptomatic and, thus, of no clinical relevance (41).…”

“…The verification of a previous SR by clinical history should build the basis for a subsequent diagnostic work-up ( Figure 3) since asymptomatic sensitization to Hymenoptera venoms is observed frequently (39,40). A thorough clinical history includes information on number and date of sting reactions, symptoms, severity and time course of the reaction as well as the applied treatment.…”

“…This is particularly important in connection with very low sIgE levels, since each sIgE level has a different relevance if produced in an environment with high or low tIgE values (141). Moreover, sIgE to Hymenoptera venoms is frequently observed in asymptomatic individuals with high tIgE (40,142). Hence, the measurement of tIgE can provide guidance in the context of the ratio sIgE/tIgE, although it is not generally recommended in the guidelines.…”