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Bumblebee bite

 
, medical expert
Last reviewed: 18.10.2021
 
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In nature, there are about 300 species of bumblebees. Among them are both males and females. In the uterus and working bumblebees there is a sting with which they can sting, and it does not remain in the body of the victim, poison is sprinkled through it. After the bite, they do not die. Insects themselves are not aggressive, the reason for bites is the need to defend themselves if they are harmed, or actions taken that are perceived as a threat.

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Epidemiology

There are no separate statistics on bumblebee bites, but up to 3% of the world's population suffers from all insects, including wasps, bees, hornets and bumblebees annually, and these are only people who turned to medical institutions with allergic manifestations. There are deaths. So, in the US, up to 50 people die in a year.

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Risk factors

Bumblebees are social insects that live in bombing nests, arranged in tree hollows, in wooden houses, soil, and bird nests. The intentional or inadvertent destruction of their abodes is a risk factor to be bitten by a whole swarm. They become the most dangerous during the breeding season: August-September.

In order not to expose yourself to danger, you do not need to take them in hand, do not provoke sudden movements. These insects do not like the smell of alcohol, perfumes, sweat, clothing bright colors.

When going out into the countryside, shoes with thick soles should be worn, the body should be protected as much as possible with clothing, a headdress should be worn, because There is always the possibility of "meeting" with bumblebees or their relatives by bees and wasps.

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Symptoms of the bumblebee bite

Adults can not replace a large enough insect and not feel pain, but children sometimes can not explain what happened to them. What does a bumblebee bite look like? The reaction of different people has its own. It can only be local, expressed in a slight swelling, redness, itching. Sometimes the temperature rises, there is an ache in the joints.

A more serious consequence is an allergy, most often it appears after a second bite. Its intensity ranges from swelling and redness of the whole body, nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, to the feeling of suffocation, rapid heartbeat, and anaphylactic shock.

The first thing that a person feels from an insect bite is pain. Its intensity depends on the type of bumblebee and its own pain threshold. So, purple or blue delivers a sensible pain, black (stone) often causes allergies.

To a greater or lesser extent, edema, swelling, itching, and burning appear around the bite site.

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Complications and consequences

The danger may lie in one bite, depending on its location, for example, in the region of the face, ear, head or neck, as well as predisposition to allergies. But more terrible consequences are fraught with numerous defeats, when a whole swarm attacks. In this case, a toxic reaction, anaphylactic shock, leading to a cardiac arrhythmia, loss of consciousness, and sometimes death.

A bumblebee bite is very dangerous for a child, especially a small one, for example, a one year old, because his immune system is not able to cope with toxins.

Local reaction, as a rule, passes in several days, a maximum in a week. Complicated allergies can last longer.

Can a bumblebee bite be useful? Studies have revealed the beneficial qualities of bee venom: the components in its composition have a beneficial effect on the nervous and peripheral systems, improve metabolism and microcirculation, and hormones.

Since bees and bumblebees belong to the same order - hymenoptera, they have the same goals - to collect pollen and nectar from flowering plants, it is likely that their venom is the same.

Diagnostics of the bumblebee bite

The diagnosis of a bumblebee bite is based on the victim's story, the first sting, visual examination, and the determination of the allergy to the poison through skin tests. The level of specific antibodies (IgE) is measured.

The role of differential diagnosis to distinguish the bite of Hymenoptera from other individuals to identify the allergen and neutralize it.

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Who to contact?

Treatment of the bumblebee bite

What measures to take at home with a bite of a bumblebee? First aid consists in disinfecting the wound with any alcohol-containing liquid. If possible, use a cold compress, treat the bite with a salt or soda solution. In nature, in the absence of a first-aid kit, you can attach a cucumber slice, an onion wedge, a plantain leaf, squeeze dandelion juice.

Bitten to the head, allergies, it is best to go to the hospital.

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Medicines

Taking an antihistamine drug: diazoline, suprastin, tavigil will not be an extra measure for a bumblebee bite.

Suprastin - the effect of this drug is to block histamine H 1  receptors. You can immediately drink one pill, and just 3-4 days in a day. For children from 3 years and older - half is enough. Suprastin is contraindicated in pregnant women, during lactation and in children up to 3 years. Of the side effects may occur arrhythmia, tachycardia, dizziness, nausea, diarrhea.

Tavegil - antiallergic and antihistamine with fast and long (up to 12 hours) action. Children under 6 years are not appointed. In the interval of 6-12 years old, 0.5 tablets are shown twice a day, after this age, and adults - as a whole, but not more than 6 per day. The drug contains lactose, with its intolerance not to apply. Not assigned to pregnant, lactating women. To take with caution with glaucoma, prostatic hypertrophy, gastric ulcer with stenosis.

As a local remedy for relieving itching, inflammation, one should resort to ointments: fenistil, celestoderm, advantan, Vietnamese asterisk, miramistin.

Phenistil - antiallergic gel with anesthetic effect. Can be applied to the affected area 2-4 times a day. If necessary, treat large areas to avoid exposure to sunlight. Young children, pregnant women are not recommended for use.

Miramistin - refers to antiseptic and disinfectants. Interacting with the lipids of the membranes of microorganisms, destroys them. Activates the regeneration of skin cells. Apply on it with a thin layer 1-2 times a day. Applies only to adults.

If you do not have any of the listed ointments or gels on hand, you can grind vitamin C and dissolve it in water, apply the solution to the edema.

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Alternative treatment

In the arsenal of alternative recipes there are many who can help with stinging bumblebees. Bites can be applied:

  • sliced potato, tomato;
  • mush of finely chopped onion;
  • a validol tablet wetted in water;
  • rub garlic clove;

From herbs except plantain it is suitable wormwood juice, finely chopped parsley, aloe leaf or kalanchoe with a film removed, any alcohol tinctures of herbs: calendula, celandine.

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Homeopathy

Among the homeopathic remedies for removing allergies, Allergin-ARN® can be used - a complex preparation containing 5 homeopathic components of plant and animal origin. Children 1-6 years old is assigned a granule for a year of life. The remaining 6 pieces under the tongue until complete resorption. Repeat 2-3 times a day for half an hour before meals or 1-1.5 hours after. The effect on pregnant women has not been studied. Side effects are unknown.

Iricar is an ointment based on a substance from a tropical liana cardiosperm. Reduces itching, after a short application, edema and redness disappear. For children up to one year does not apply, due to the lack of research of its influence. Before use, pregnant women should consult a doctor. Apply to the skin 3 times a day.

For the prevention of an acute reaction to a bumblebee bite, Apis Mellifika (8 pellets under the tongue 4 times a day) and Urtika Urens are taken, the order of administration is the same as the previous ones.

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Prevention

In order not to be bitten by bumblebees, you need to be careful in the immediate vicinity of them:

  • do not drive them away with sharp movements;
  • on vacation in the midst of nature do not become bare;
  • do not walk barefoot;
  • ensure that insects are not among the fruits, sweets and other foods;
  • not to attract their attention with bright clothes and strong odors of perfume;
  • to stretch mosquito nets on the windows to prevent them from penetrating the dwelling.

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Forecast

Only the outward appearance of bites, basically, does not pose a threat to man. With multiple lesions, bites to the head, a strong allergic reaction to the poison, the prognosis is not always favorable, there may be deaths.

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