On Sun, 23 Jul 1995, Michael Stoops wrote:
 
> It's my understanding the the venom of different insects utilizes
> different alkeloids and so that would incite reactions to stings of one
> type of insect and not another.  By the way, was stung by a scopion
> several years ago and had a little soreness and numbness in the area of
> the sting.  Otherwise, not very affected.  Was the mildness of the
> reaction due to tollerance built up doue to bee stings?  Would like to
> think so.   MIKE  Sugar Land, TEXAS    [log in to unmask]
>
After some nine years without receiving a honey bee sting, I found that I
had developed a serious allergy to honey bee venom. Upon visiting an
allergist, I was tested for allergic reactions to venoms of other stinging
Hymenoptera (bumble bees, vespid wasps), and found not to be allergic to
any but the honey bee venom. I reacted to the honey bee venom at the
lowest concentration used. That one has no reaction to venoms of certain
stinging arthropods (other than a localized reaction), therefore, does
not mean one is tolerant of all venoms. It doesn't appear that even a
lifetime of bee stings would protect one from an allergic reaction to
other venoms, such as those of scorpions or spiders, for example. And one
can lose an immunity over time, as I did. Going into anaphylactic shock
was one heck of a rude awakening. Luckily, the immunotherapy is working
like a charm, and I can now get stung as much as I want.
 
Tom