Bee swarmings in children

LoVecchio, Frank; Cannon, Robert D.; Algier, Jeffrey; Ruha, Anne-Marie; Curry, Steven C.; Wallace, Kevin L.; Graeme, Kimberley A.

doi:10.1016/j.ajem.2007.02.006

« Previous Next »American Journal of Emergency Medicine
Volume 25, Issue 8 , Pages 931-933, October 2007

Bee swarmings in children

Frank LoVecchio, DO, MPH
- Department of Medical Toxicology and Banner Good Samaritan Regional Poison Center, Phoenix, AZ
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Maricopa Medical Center, Phoenix, AZ
- Arizona College Osteopathic Medicine, Phoenix, AZ
- Corresponding author. Tel.: +1 602 239 2358; fax: +1 602 239 4138.
Robert D. Cannon, DO
- Department of Medical Toxicology and Banner Good Samaritan Regional Poison Center, Phoenix, AZ
Jeffrey Algier, MD
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Maricopa Medical Center, Phoenix, AZ
Anne-Marie Ruha, MD
- Department of Medical Toxicology and Banner Good Samaritan Regional Poison Center, Phoenix, AZ
Steven C. Curry, MD
- Department of Medical Toxicology and Banner Good Samaritan Regional Poison Center, Phoenix, AZ
Kevin L. Wallace, MD
- Department of Medical Toxicology and Banner Good Samaritan Regional Poison Center, Phoenix, AZ
Kimberley A. Graeme, MD
- Department of Medical Toxicology and Banner Good Samaritan Regional Poison Center, Phoenix, AZ

Received 18 January 2007; accepted 8 February 2007.

Abstract

Africanized honeybees (Apis mellifera scutellata) are now found in the southern and southwestern United States. Swarmings can result in hundreds to thousands of stings delivering a venom load capable of producing multisystem organ failure and death. The literature on mass envenomations is scarce, being limited to case reports and case series. There are no prospective studies on mass envenomations in children.

Methods

All patients were admitted to our toxicology service, and all stingers were counted. Laboratory data and clinical assessments were obtained at baseline, 8, and 16 hours after presentation.

Results

Nineteen patients with a median age of 3.6 years and a median of 2.64 stings per kilogram (range, 1-4.5) were enrolled. Fifteen children had vomiting. Only a mild increase in creatine kinase was seen. None developed coagulopathy or renal insufficiency.