Abstracts
Zinc & Bites & Stings
Zinc
According to this study, zinc may be effective in treating allergic reactions of the skin, such as insect bites, poison ivy, and latex sensitivity. Twenty individuals who were sensitive to latex received either a zinc cream or a placebo cream as a prophylactic. The zinc protected the hands against latex contact dermatitis.
Zoler, Mitchel L.: Zinc Cream Blocks Absorption of Latex Allergens, Family Practice News, December 1, 1997;34.
Africanized Honeybees
Africanized Honeybees
The Africanized honeybee, popularly known as the "killer bee," is already well established in Texas and has recently entered California and Arizona.
Sherman-RA: What physicians should know about Africanized honeybees. West-J-Med. 1995 Dec; 163(6): 541-6.
Allergy & Bites & Stings
Allergy
Insects make up 80% of the animal kingdom with over 800,000 species worldwide. "Allergic" reactions to bee or wasp stings are common and they may rarely be fatal. Patients who experience systemic sting reactions must receive effective treatment and assessment.
Gelder-C et al: Allergy to bee and wasp venom. Br-J-Hosp-Med. 1996 Mar 20-Apr 2;
Anaphylactic Shock Treatment
Anaphylactic Shock Treatment
A serious allergic reaction after an insect sting is wellknown source for concern and "anxiety". Patients with known hypersensitivity to insect stings are usually equipped with an "adrenaline" self-injection kit by an allergologist.
In Denmark a new device for self-medication of adrenaline was approved in 1994, the adrenaline "aerosol" spray, "Adrenalin" Medihaler.
Adrenaline aerosol treatment should play an important role as emergency treatment for anaphylactic reactions after insect stings, and in most cases can replace the use of adrenalin self-injection kits. Adrenaline aerosol self-treatment could have an important beneficial effect helping to avoid "exacerbation" of the initial symptoms after insect venom exposition, such as bronchial obstruction and laryngeal oedema.
Ackermann-RW & Laursen-LC[Self-administration of adrenaline aerosol in anaphylactic reactions after insect stings]. Ugeskr-Laeger. 1996 Aug 5; 158(32): 4497-9.
Apitherapy
Apitherapy
Apitherapy (Venom of bees and apiculture products) was included into combined treatment of 93 in-patients with pulmonary tuberculosis.
Apitherapy had a beneficial effect on the organism of tuberculosis patients, manifested by enhancement of the treatment effectiveness and normalization of indices of "endocrine" system.
Recommend that the instruction on apitoxinotherapy be amended, in particular, by substantially supplementing the paragraph with indications and contraindications for giving it in active tuberculosis.
Masterov-GD: [Apitherapy in the combined treatment of patients with pulmonary tuberculosis taking into account the hypophyseal-"adrenal" system indices] Vrach-Delo. 1995 Jan-Feb(1-2): 120-2.
Beekeepers
Beekeepers
A majority of subjects allergic to bee venom are beekeepers, their relatives, or neighbors. Predetermining systemic reactivity to honeybee stings and risk assessment through laboratory tests have been unsatisfactory.
Systemic bee sting reactions were present in 50 (26%) and large local reactions in 73 (38%) of the beekeepers. Similar reactions following wasp stings were present in 2% and 13%, respectively. Twenty-four (48%) of the systemic reactors and 39 (28%) of the remaining subjects had a history of atopic symptoms (allergic rhinitis, allergic bronchial asthma, or atopic dermatitis).
While working at hives, nasal and eye symptoms were present in 54% of the systemic reactors and in 23% of the remaining subjects. Systemic reactors were younger and had been beekeepers for a shorter period than nonreactive subjects. Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that the risk of systemic sting reaction increased fourfold when nasal or eye symptoms were present while working at hives and twofold when the years in beekeeping were less than 15.
The occurrence of systemic and large local reactions after bee stings is high among beekeepers. A history of atopy is associated with systemic reactions. Both the presence of nasal or eye symptoms while working at hives and a history of beekeeping less than 15 years significantly increase the risk of systemic reactions.
Annila IT et al., Bee and wasp sting reactions in current beekeepers. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol, 1996 Nov, 77:5, 423-7.
Biting Sites
Biting Sites
While searching for "blood", female mosquitoes pass through a behavioural process involving responses to visual, physical and chemical properties of the host.
Temperature and humidity are thought to dominate mosquito orientation near the host. We observed that biting of two malaria mosquito species, i.e. Anopheles atroparvus (van Thiel) and Anopheles gambiae s.s. (Giles) preferentially occurs on different body regions of a naked motionless human host. Their preference for the head and foot regions respectively correlated with particular combinations of "skin" temperature and eccrine sweat gland density. Subsequent modification of the host's odour profile by removing exhaled breath and washing feet results in significant changes of these preferences.
De-Jong-R & Knols-BG Selection of biting sites on man by two malaria mosquito species. Experientia. 1995 Jan 15; 51(1): 80-4.
Hepatitis B
Hepatitis B
Among 29 test monkeys, 9 were HBV infective "serum" markers positive.
These results provided an evidence for the possibility of transmission of HBV through mosquitoes and suggest its epidemiological significance in mosquito infested areas.
Zheng-Y et al: An animal study on transmission of "hepatitis" B "virus" through mosquitoes. Chin-Med-J-Engl. 1995 Dec; 108(12): 895-7.
Malaria Therapy
Malaria Therapy
The size of the infecting inoculum may influence the severity of malaria, but evidence is scarce. Malaria therapy records provide a unique source of information on induced malaria in people. The therapy was given to large numbers of neurosyphilis patients and the malaria was left untreated as long as possible.
Glynn-JR & Bradley-DJ Inoculum size, incubation "period" and severity of malaria. Analysis of data from malaria therapy records. Parasitology. 1995 Jan; 110 ( Pt 1): 7-19.
Mosquito Appeal
Mosquito Appeal
Isolated people vary in attractiveness to mosquitoes.
Knols-BG Differential attractiveness of isolated humans to mosquitoes in Tanzania. Trans-R-Soc-Trop-Med-Hyg. 1995 Nov-Dec; 89(6): 604-6.
Mosquito Attack Activity
Mosquito Attack Activity
Host attack responses during the diel period was bimodal with approximately 70% of all activity during photophase (0800-2000 h); attack rates were highest in the morning (0800 h) and evening (1400-2000 h) and lowest between 0200 and 0600 h.
Variations in host avidity patterns between young and old females suggest that mosquito repellent bioassays initiated early in the day, that last > or = 6 h, or that use young females (approximately 5 days old) overestimate the protection period of deet against mosquitoes
Xue-RD & Barnard-DR: Human host avidity in Aedes albopictus: influence of mosquito body size, age, parity and time of day. J-Am-Mosq-Control-Assoc. 1996 Mar; 12(1): 58-63.
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