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Background: The allergic sensitization to insects of the Hymenoptera and Culicidae order in pediatric population is studied with low frequency. Objective: To determine the prevalence of sensitization to bees, mosquito and fire ants in children with allergic diseases. Material and method: A retrolective and descriptive study was carried out in a pediatric allergy service. The registers of the cutaneous reactivity to bees, mosquitos and fire ants done among January 2009 to December 2011 were analyzed. The frequency of sensitization to insects and its confidence interval to 95% was estimated. Results: The sample included 613 patients, 41% were girls. The age average of the group was 6.2 ± 3.7 years. The allergic sensitization to mosquito was 15% (CI 95%: 12.4-18.1), bees 14.2% (CI 95%: 11.4-16.9) and fire ants 6% (CI 95%: 6.0-6.8) older that non-sensitized, 7.1 vs 6.0 years old (p=0.011) and 7.4 vs 6.1 years old (p=0.042), respectively. During fall and winter seasons, fire ant sensitization was observed with more frequency. Conclusions: In our knowledge this is the first report in Mexico related with sensitization frequency to bees, mosquitos and fire ants carried out on children. Also, our results suggest that sensitization to these insects should be identified more often. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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 honey-bee venom in Mexican beekeepers and non-beekeepers by the use ofskin tests. Material and 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 his-tory 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/mLand Evans solution as controls. The skin tests results of both groups were compared by x2- 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/mLand0.1 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 ofskin tests positivity between both groups could be explained by immune tolerance due to continued exposure of beekeepers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Allergy to Hymenoptera venom has a low prevalence in the general population, but in beekeepers could be as high as 42%. The exposure to bee sting confers an occupational allergic risk to beekeepers, causing them sensitization during the first years, which if continues for a long time may induce immune tolerance. Objective: To know some risk factors of allergic reactions to honey-bee stings in a sample of beekeepers through a selfapplied questionnaire. Material and methods: A self-applied questionnaire was performed by beekeepers from the whole country, with questions about age, sex, time of beekeeping activities, average number of stings per month and types of post-sting reactions. The relative risk and the odds ratio were calculated for some risk factors. Results: A total of 1541 questionnaires were completed. The average age was 37 years. There were 1289 (84%) men and 252 women. The average time of exposure to honey-bee sting was 7.2 years, and the number of stings per month averaged 33. There was atopic family history in 14.5% of the beekeepers, and 20% of them had personal atopy. In 125 (8%) beekeepers there were local allergic reactions and in 32 (2%) there were systemic allergic reactions. The relative risk for allergy to honey-bee venom in whom had atopic family history was 3.9 (CI 1.7-9.2), in those with less than 4 stings per month was 3.2 (CI 1.12-9.33), in those with more than 20 years exposure was 0.97 (CI 0.95-0.98) and for those over 50 years of age was 0.32 (CI 0.1-0.8). Beekeepers with less than 10 years of exposure had OR of 4.33 (CI 0.5-33.9). Conclusions: The risk factors observed for hypersentivity to honey-bee venom in beekeepers were: atopic family history, less than 10 years of exposure and less than 4 stings per month. As probable protective factors we found the exposure for over 20 years and persons older than 50 years of age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]