Epidemiology of Hymenoptera venom allergy in the Valencia Fire Brigade (Spain)

The prevalence of Hymenoptera venom allergy (HVA) correlates with the number of stings.1 On the Spanish Mediterranean coast, the most prevalent Hymenoptera insects are Apis mellifera, Polistes dominula, and Vespula germanica.2 In this setting, firefighters are responsible for removing wasp nests and beehives around cities, increasing their exposure to stings (see Table E1 in this article's Online Repository at www.jaci-inpractice.org) and their risk of an allergic reaction. The prevalence of HVA based on clinical history alone was 19.74% (n = 76). [...]54 of 385 (14%) had large local reaction (LLR) and 22 and 385 (5.7%) had systemic reaction (SR). Logistic regression showed a statistically significant association between allergic symptoms after a Hymenoptera sting and receiving medical treatment, intradermal test results, and a history of allergic diseases (rhinitis, asthma, atopic dermatitis, food allergy, and drug allergy). Other authors have suggested that venom immunotherapy must be indicated in case of continued exposure because this treatment is globally accepted as the treatment of choice in venom allergy,8 helping to decrease occupational disability, anxiety, health impacts, and health care costs.9 Our results are the first to show that the estimated prevalence of HVA in the studied firefighters is 2 to 3 times higher than in the general population.