Allergy in beekeepers

Beekeepers represent a high-risk group for allergic disorders. They are affected by beestings but only a very limited fraction of the population develops severe anaphylactic symptoms. On the other hand several beekeepers have slight anaphylactic symptoms when they start working. Immunologically they are like "spontaneously desensitized subjects". They often have bee-venom specific IgE and all of them have very high titers of bee-venom specific IgG. Beekeepers may present an atopic sensitization to bee-hive dust and develop asthma and rhinitis. Finally, they may present a contact dermatitis to a bee-product: the propolis. This type of allergy is not very frequent.