European Polistes venom allergy

Area of Science:

• Immunology
• Allergology
• Entomology

Background:

• Commercial American Polistes venom mixtures were historically used for diagnosing and treating allergies.
• European species like Polistes dominulus and Polistes gallicus are prevalent in Europe, unlike the American species in commercial mixes.
• The suitability of the American venom mix for diagnosing European patients with Polistes sting allergies is questionable.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the allergenic differences between commercial American Polistes venom and European Polistes venoms (P. dominulus, P. gallicus).
• To determine if the existing American venom mixture is appropriate for diagnosing allergies in European patients.
• To assess the cross-reactivity between different Polistes species venoms in a European patient cohort.

Main Methods:

• Skin tests were performed on Italian patients with a history of adverse reactions to Polistes stings.
• Radioallergosorbent tests (RAST) were conducted to measure specific IgE antibodies.
• RAST inhibition assays were utilized to analyze cross-reactivity patterns between various Polistes venoms.

Main Results:

• RAST inhibition revealed only partial cross-reactivity between American and European Polistes venoms.
• P. dominulus and P. gallicus venoms contain unique allergens not present in the American mix.
• Skin tests and direct RAST confirmed that European Polistes venoms are more effective for diagnosis in Italian patients.
• A high degree of cross-reactivity was observed between P. dominulus and P. gallicus venoms.

Conclusions:

• The commercial American Polistes venom mixture is not fully suitable for diagnosing allergies in European patients.
• P. dominulus and P. gallicus venoms possess distinct allergens, necessitating their inclusion in diagnostic and therapeutic strategies.
• The venoms of P. dominulus and/or P. gallicus are essential for accurate diagnosis and effective treatment of Polistes sting allergies in European populations.