Mastocytosis and Hymenoptera allergy

PubMed, the Internet portal of biomedical and life sciences literature, indexed an interesting article, entitled “Mastocytosis and Hymenoptera venom allergy” (Curr Opin Allergy Clin Immunol. 2006 Aug;6(4):284-8). Authors are Rueff f, Placzek M and Przybilla B, from the Department of Dermatology and Allergology, Ludwig-Maximilians University, Munich, Germany. Mastocytosis is a rare disease characterized by increased mast cells in skin and/or internal organs. The authors evaluate the impact of mastocytosis on diagnosis and treatment of Hymenoptera venom allergy. The conclusions are that the patients suffering from mastocytosis and Hymenoptera venom allergy are at risk from a particularly severe sting anaphylaxis. They need optimal diagnosis and treatment. In patients presenting with Hymenoptera venom allergy, screening tests by measurement of serum tryptase concentration, and a careful skin examination, are highly recommended. To access the full abstract of the article, click here.