Cross reactivity between European Hornet and Yellow Jacket venoms

• Published in: European annals of allergy and clinical immunology Vol. 42; no. 4; pp. 141 - 145
• Main Authors: SEVERINO, M. G, CARUSO, B, BONADONNA, P, LABARDI, D, MACCHIA, D, CAMP, P, PASSALACQUA, G
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Fidenza Mattioli 1885 01.08.2010
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Allergens - immunology; Allergens - metabolism; Animals; Biological and medical sciences; Cross Reactions; Female; Humans; Hypersensitivity - etiology; Hypersensitivity - immunology; Immunoblotting; Immunoglobulin E - immunology; Immunoglobulin E - metabolism; Immunopathology; Insect Bites and Stings - complications; Insect Bites and Stings - immunology; Insect Proteins - immunology; Insect Proteins - metabolism; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Wasp Venoms - adverse effects; Wasp Venoms - immunology; Wasp Venoms - metabolism; Wasps; Europe; Immunopathology; Allergy; Insecta; Cross-reactivity; Vespa crabro; CAP-inhibition; Vespula germanica; Immunology; Arthropoda; Venom; immunoblotting; Cross reaction; Vespidae; Immunoblotting assay; Inhibitor; Inhibition; Invertebrata; Hymenoptera; Vespa; Hymenoptera venom allergy; Aculeata
• ISSN: 1764-1489

Cross-reactions between venoms may be responsible for multiple diagnostic positivities in hymenoptera allergy. There is limited data on the cross-reactivity between Vespula spp and Vespa crabro, which is an important cause of severe reactions in some parts of Europe. We studied by CAP-inhibition assays and immunoblotting the cross-reactivity between the two venoms. Sera from patients with non discriminative skin/CAP positivity to both Vespula and Vespa crabro were collected for the analyses. Inhibition assays were carried out with a CAP method, incubating the sera separately with both venoms and subsequently measuring the specific IgE to venoms themselves. Immunoblotting was performed on sera with ambiguous results at the CAP-inhibition. Seventeen patients had a severe reaction after Vespa crabro sting and proved skin and CAP positive also to vespula. In 11/17 patients, Vespula venom completely inhibited IgE binding to VC venom, whereas VC venom inhibited binding to Vespula venom only partially (<75%). In 6 subjects the CAP-inhibition provided inconclusive results and their sera were analysed by immunoblotting. The SDS-PAGE identified hyaluronidase, phospholipase A1 and antigen 5 as the main proteins of the venoms. In 5 sera the levels of IgE against antigen 5 of Vespa crabro were higher than IgE against Vespula germanica, thus indicating a true sensitisation to crabro. In the case of multiple positivities to Vespa crabro and Vespula spp the CAP inhibition is helpful in detecting the cross-reactivities.