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Allergy to bumblebee venom. II IgE cross‐reactivity between bumblebee and honeybee venom
Author(s) -
Stapel S. O.,
WaandersLijster de Raadt J.,
Toorenenbergen A. W.,
Groot H.
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
allergy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.363
H-Index - 173
eISSN - 1398-9995
pISSN - 0105-4538
DOI - 10.1111/j.1398-9995.1998.tb03973.x
Subject(s) - bumblebee , venom , biology , immunoglobulin e , cross reactivity , bombus terrestris , radioallergosorbent test , allergy , immunology , allergen , cross reactions , botany , ecology , antibody , pollination , pollen , pollinator
To obtain more information on IgE cross‐reactivity between bumblebee venom and honeybee venom, we tested sera from venom‐sensitized patients for specific IgE against venoms from the European bumblebee (Bombus terrestris), the North American bumblebee (Megabombm pennsylvanicus), and the honeybee (Apis mellifera). RAST, RAST‐inhibition, and immunoblotting experiments indicate that bumblebee venom and honeybee venom contain venom‐specific IgE‐binding epitopes. These results suggest that immunotherapy using honeybee venom may not be effective in all bumblebee venom‐allergic patients. Our experiments also revealed differences in IgE binding for venom from European and American bumblebees.