Asia Pac Allergy.  2015 Oct;5(4):230-233. 10.5415/apallergy.2015.5.4.230.

Serum sickness reaction with skin involvement induced by bee venom injection therapy

• Seo HJ
• Lee J

• KMID: 2397040
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5415/apallergy.2015.5.4.230

Abstract

Bee venom injection therapy is an alternative treatment sometimes used for chronic inflammatory diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis and multiple sclerosis, to reduce pain. Several chemical components of bee venom have anti-inflammatory effects, and apitoxin, one of the mixed components, has been used for pain prevention therapy. However, there have been no large-scale investigations regarding the efficacy or side effects or apitoxin. In this study, a case of serum sickness reaction that developed after receiving bee venom injection therapy is reported.

Keyword

Bee Venoms; Serum Sickness; Adverse Effects

MeSH Terms

Arthritis, Rheumatoid
Bee Venoms*
Bees*
Multiple Sclerosis
Serum Sickness*
Skin*
Bee Venoms

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 Multiple pea- to walnut-sized purpuric erythema and some targeted lesions are seen on both lower extremities (A) and at the injection site on the back (B).

• 

  Fig. 2 Pathology of a skin lesion (H&E, ×100). There is dermal edema and a moderate perivascular inflammatory infiltrate composed of neutrophils, lymphocytes, and eosinophils, consistent with urticarial vasculitis.

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