Emergency Treatment of Anaphylaxis in Japanese Beekeepers

Objectives: Honeybee stings often lead to anaphylactic shock. We surveyed Japanese beekeepers to examine whether adrenaline auto-injectors are properly used after honeybee stings.Methods: We contacted representatives of the Japanese Beekeeping Association in all 47 prefectures for assistance distributing allergist-developed questionnaires. Representatives in 33 prefectures distributed questionnaires to their members and we received valid responses from 826 beekeepers.Results: Adrenaline auto-injectors had been prescribed to only 46 of the 826 participants (5.6%) to prevent systemic reaction (SR) to honeybee stings. Of the 33 beekeepers who experienced a honeybee sting after adrenaline auto-injector prescription, 16 (48.5%) developed SRs; 9 of these 16 (56.3%) were treated with an adrenaline auto-injector.Conclusions: Japanese beekeeping organizations should consider encouraging medical institutions to prescribe adrenaline auto-injectors. Furthermore, physicians and other health care workers should better educate beekeepers and others who have been prescribed an adrenaline auto-injector in order to improve compliance and raise awareness of the risk posed by SRs.