Bee venom allergy immunotherapy for bee venom allergy

Bee venom allergy immunotherapy is licensed as an allergy immunotherapy (a treatment involving administering increasing doses of allergen extracts over time) for patients with bee venom allergy. Following a bee sting, some individuals generate an immune response which produces antibodies (proteins produced by the body in response to harmful substances). These antibodies sensitise cells so that venom introduced by a subsequent sting can trigger the cells to produce a rapid inflammatory response (an allergic reaction). These allergic reactions can vary in severity but typically start rapidly. The most severe reactions are known as anaphylaxis, which is life-threatening and can be fatal within several minutes. Symptoms include feeling faint and difficulty breathing. Bees are one of the species that cause the most frequent allergic reactions in humans following a sting. Therefore, there is a need for treatments for this population. The current treatment (Pharmalgen Bee Venom), which is being discontinued, requires manual dilution before injection.