injuries poisoning
Insect Stings
Prevention of Insect Stings
People who have had anaphylaxis are at risk from subsequent insect stings. Desensitization immunotherapy can be considered. Venom Immunotherapy is highly effective, reducing the chance of recurrent anaphylaxis from 50% to about 10% after 2 years of therapy and to about 2% after 3 to 5 years of therapy. Children who receive venom immunotherapy have a significantly lower risk of systemic reaction to stings 10 to 20 years after treatment. Venom immunotherapy seems to be safe for use during pregnancy. Single-venom therapy is adequate. After initial immunotherapy, maintenance doses may be needed for up to 5 years. 