Hornet bite

Summer is undoubtedly a warm, wonderful time of the year. However, it is not without some nasty surprises. For example, an ordinary  hornet bite  can ruin a long-awaited vacation and significantly spoil your health.

Is a hornet bite dangerous?

Anyone who has been bitten by a hornet at least once will certainly wonder if a hornet bite is dangerous. Let's figure it out. So, a hornet bite has a number of adverse consequences. By itself, it is not dangerous, since the deadly poison is not injected directly during the bite, as, for example, happens with a snake bite. But the consequences that develop in the body some time after the bite can be dangerous. So, a bite is especially dangerous for people who have an increased tendency to allergic reactions.

With saliva, enzymes enter the human body, which have a very specific effect on the body. For example, with a tendency to allergic reactions, a response develops, depending on the type of reaction. The most dangerous is a hypersensitivity reaction, which develops as an immediate type, since in this case anaphylactic shock develops, or Quincke's edema, which are characterized by a sharp increase, severe condition. Often ends in asphyxia, suffocation. Less dangerous is a person's tendency to delayed-type reactions. They develop more slowly, however, they can also have a number of adverse consequences, including edema, and inflammatory reactions.

A bite is especially dangerous in the throat, mouth, lips, and any other areas located near the throat, nose, since in this case an attack of suffocation develops quickly, and the person may suffocate even before he is given emergency care. In this case, tracheotomy is almost always indicated.

With various concomitant diseases, a person can develop serious consequences and complications. The bite of a person suffering from heart disease is considered dangerous, since it can provoke serious diseases, including hypertensive or hypotonic crisis, arrhythmia, heart failure, ischemia, angina pectoris, and so on. In case of kidney and liver diseases, a bite can provoke the development of an inflammatory process, a violation of metabolic processes, and hormonal levels. We have touched on only a small part of the consequences that can develop as a result of a hornet bite. In fact, the list of possible consequences is much wider. Therefore, the answer to the question of whether a hornet bite is dangerous is very obvious. It is worth noting that the bite is most dangerous for children, especially infants, since all reactions in their body are more difficult and develop at a much faster pace (due to high metabolism).

Epidemiology

According to statistics, 78% of hornet bites happen due to the fact that people consume various food and drinks on the street. In 65% of the bites are exposed to people of adolescence, adolescence and adulthood, while the elderly account for only 5% of bites. Children under the age of 12 account for approximately 39% of bites. [1]

Also, the statistics regarding complications are different. Anaphylactic shock develops in about 16% of cases. An increased reaction, which is accompanied by a systemic manifestation - in about 54% of cases. Approximately 25% of cases are accompanied by the usual, moderately pronounced edema, itching, redness. In about 4.5% of cases, no reaction is observed, or a slight itching appears, the bite site is slightly noticeable. Up to 0.5% of cases are fatal. [2], [3]

Causes hornet bite

Obviously, the cause of a hornet bite is behavior that provokes the insect to bite. It is worth noting that insects rarely (or rather, almost never) attack a person just like that. If an insect has bitten, then there is a reason that provoked it to such a reaction. Perhaps the animal is defending itself. Or there are substances and products nearby that attract him - sweets, floral aromas, pollen, nectar, juice, honey.

Risk factors

The main risk factors are substances that have a pungent smell, a certain taste. Most often, insects are attracted by a sweet aroma and taste, so they will fly especially intensely on sweets, especially of natural origin - honey, natural juices, nectars, fresh berries and fruits, ice cream, sweets, jellies, marmalade. Attracts insects and aromatic cosmetics, sprays, deodorants, essential oils. Much less often insects are attracted by the aromas of meat, fish, spices, however, and they can act as risk factors. Also, insufficient adherence to hygiene rules, sweat, and other natural biological secretions from humans and animals can attract insects.

Pathogenesis

The pathogenesis is based on the development of a nonspecific response in response to the ingestion of the constituent components of saliva. Usually, hornet saliva contains a large number of enzymes, which are protein compounds. They act as foreign agents, therefore they are perceived by the body as antigens. An immune response develops on them, aimed at eliminating, neutralizing and eliminating the substance from the body. The reaction is a complex mechanism involving neuroregulatory, immune, endocrine reactions, inflammation factors, mediators, cells of an allergic reaction, neurohormones, immunoglobulins, and other specific and non-specific factors.

The leading role in pathogenesis is played by a local allergic reaction, which subsequently triggers a systemic reaction at the level of the whole organism. Directly at the site of the bite, the system of nonspecific resistance is activated, then an immune reaction is launched, aimed at destroying the antigen that has got into the saliva. This is accompanied by the activation of the T-cell link, then, at the second stage, the B-cell link of immunity (humoral immune response) is activated. Cellular reactions, phagocytosis develop. Lymphocytes, monophogs, neutrophils migrate to the site of the bite. An inflammatory reaction develops gradually. The process is supported by the synthesis of inflammatory mediators. There is a sharp release of histamine, heparin, substance P, neuropeptides, cytokines, which support the inflammatory process, change the reactivity of the body, change the state of the microvasculature, and capillary permeability. [4]

If the local reaction is not stopped in a timely manner, generalization of the process may occur, and a systemic reaction will begin to develop at the level of the whole organism. With excessive sensitization, if the body reacts sharply to antigens, anaphylactic shock may develop (at the heart of pathogenesis is a violation of immune reactivity, in which the body develops hypersensitivity to antigens). In response to their ingestion, a sharp release of histamine in huge quantities occurs, which entails edema, anaphylaxis, swelling and tissue spasm. An immediate-type hypersensitivity reaction develops, which is manifested by anaphylaxis (anaphylactic shock). All this leads to the development of an attack of suffocation, a sharp drop in blood pressure and temperature. It can be fatal, especially for patients with bronchial asthma, asthmatic bronchitis, airway obstruction, and suffocation often develops.

If the reaction is normal, an adequate, mild inflammatory, or allergic reaction develops at the site of the bite, which is controlled by the immune system.

Symptoms hornet bite

The main symptom of a bite is a sharp, burning pain at the site of the bite. There is a feeling as if the skin was pierced with a red-hot needle. The pain is combined with a burning sensation, a sensation of an increase in local temperature. After a while, itching, redness, and swelling develop. However, there are cases when a person does not feel the bite. Then the bite can be judged indirectly by such non-specific signs as edema, redness, burning, itching. On the body, in the form of a point, the bite site is directly visible. The reaction can also affect the surrounding tissues, spreading to the entire body. In this case, there are symptoms such as chills, fever. Intoxication, signs of progression of the reaction, the development of a systemic inflammatory reaction are not excluded.

As the first sign that you have been bitten by a hornet, you can consider a sharp stabbing, or burning pain (it is characterized in different ways). With increased sensitization, the reaction develops rapidly, the site of the bite swells quickly, and redness develops. In the center, a point from a puncture of the skin is usually clearly visible, around which redness, induration, and swelling develop. [5]

What does a hornet bite look like?

The hornet bite has the appearance of a rounded redness, which is often accompanied by hyperemia, edema, and induration. A small compacted tubercle appears on the body. Red and swollen. A bright red dot is visible in the center - the site of the bite, from which redness and swelling diverge.

• Asian hornet bite

It is especially dangerous for Europeans, since the saliva of this hornet has pronounced antigenic properties for a person of the European race. A person who has been bitten by an Asian hornet needs urgent help.

• Japanese hornet bite

It is accompanied by pronounced severe allergic reactions. Anaphylactic shock is common. If you go to an area where you can be bitten by a Japanese hornet, it is better to stock up on antiallergic drugs in the form of injections, take with you funds that will help provide emergency care for anaphylaxis.

• Black hornet bite

When a black hornet bites, pain is not always felt, since it is part of its saliva. In addition to enzymes, there are substances that have anesthetic and analgesic effects on a person. It is worth noting that despite the absence of acute pain. The reaction can develop very rapidly and have dire consequences. Progressive Quincke's edema and anaphylactic shock often develop.

Baby hornet bite

If a child is bitten by a hornet, this is an extremely dangerous situation, since the child develops an allergic reaction very quickly, and it is difficult. Asphyxiation, bronchospasm, asthmatic attack, anaphylaxis often develop. Complications from the heart, kidneys may develop, collapse, nervous reactions, convulsions, paralysis, respiratory arrest are possible.

A hornet bite can be accompanied by severe itching, pain, burning sensation. This is due to the increased reaction of the child's body to an enzyme that enters the human body with a bite. It causes the development of an inflammatory, allergic reaction. Usually, special anti-inflammatory, anti-allergic agents are required. Topical antipruritic ointments can be used. Quite often, with a hornet bite, tavegil or loratodine is prescribed (up to 6 years old is not recommended, after 6 years, 1 tablet per day is taken, since these are prolonged-release drugs).

Hornet bite during pregnancy

Severe consequences develop if a hornet bite occurred during pregnancy. It can be dangerous for both the mother and the fetus. During this period, the body is already experiencing increased stress, is in a state of adaptation, increased sensitization. Reactions to everything are hypertrophied, intoxication develops. The bite aggravates this condition. Against the background of increased allergization, sensitization, there is a high risk of anaphylaxis, up to and including death. Ordinary edema often turns into Quincke's edema. Causes severe gestosis, various types of insufficiency. [6]

• Hornet bite while breastfeeding

The greatest danger of a hornet bite while breastfeeding is that you may need to pause feeding for a while. This is due to the fact that antibodies are sharply produced in the mother's body, the inflammatory process and allergies are rapidly developing. Almost always there is a need to take antihistamines, anti-inflammatory drugs, antibiotics. They accumulate in milk, their ingestion in the child's body is not permissible. However, if the mother is not taking medication, the feeding may not be stopped.

Complications and consequences

Among the most unfavorable and dangerous complications and consequences that develop after a hornet bite are inflammation, edema, an allergic reaction, the extreme degree of which is multiple organ failure,  [7] Quincke's edema, anaphylactic shock, and an attack of suffocation.

There may be complications from the cardiovascular system, kidneys,  [8] liver,  [9] up to multiple organ failure and death. With heart disease, congenital defects, a history of myocardial infarction, sudden death often develops. Also, the danger is that a severe inflammatory process, a bacterial complication, a purulent-septic process can develop when the infection enters the body. Bacteremia, sepsis - the extreme stage of infection. [10]

Less dangerous conditions - edema, irritation, hyperemia, urticaria, hematoma at the site of the bite, severe itching. A hornet bite is especially dangerous   for pregnant women and newborns. Their reaction develops extremely rapidly, an attack of suffocation may develop. For the same reason, the bite is dangerous for people with a tendency to diseases of the respiratory tract, with bronchial asthma, bronchitis in history. Pregnancy after a bite can end in miscarriage, spontaneous abortion, premature abortion. Often complications of pregnancy, gestosis, complicated childbirth develop, cases of stillbirth, fetal defects, and central nervous system damage are known.

How long does a hornet bite take?

How long the hornet bite will take depends on the state of the body, first of all, on how sensitized it is, on the state of immunity, and the presence of concomitant diseases. Some other individual characteristics are also important: age, living conditions of a person. Also depends on whether the person was provided with timely emergency assistance, whether the bite site was treated, what medications the person took. But on average, it takes 5 to 10 days for the bite to completely pass.

Is a hornet bite deadly?

Often people wonder if a hornet bite is dangerous. If you fully understand this issue, you can unequivocally answer that the bite itself is not dangerous as such. But its consequences can be extremely serious, up to and including death. It is especially dangerous for people with a history of increased sensitization, with a tendency to allergic and atopic reactions. The most dangerous condition is considered to be Quincke's edema, anaphylaxis, which can result in a critical drop in blood pressure, coma and even death. It is extremely dangerous for people with cardiac and vascular pathologies, since there is a high risk of a hypertensive crisis, a drop in pressure to critical conditions. Arrhythmia, extrasystole, and even myocardial infarction, or sudden death syndrome may develop.

In fact, death from a hornet bite is an extremely rare occurrence, however, it is not excluded. It is ascertained in about 0.5% of cases. Persons with a history of allergic diseases and increased sensitization of the body die. If a person is prone to immediate hypersensitivity reactions, then in response to the bite, an attack of suffocation, anaphylactic shock, develops within a few minutes. A person can die, fall into a coma, if he does not receive urgent help. Cases of sudden death are known (registered in persons with myocardial infarction with extensive areas of necrosis in history).

Hornet bite allergy

In fact, an allergy to a hornet bite is a natural reaction of the immune system to an antigen entering the body (with saliva during the bite). The severity of an allergic reaction can be different, and is determined by the initial state of the body - the level of its sensitization, the tendency to allergic reactions. If an antigen enters a sensitized organism, the reaction proceeds rapidly and rapidly, progresses at a tremendous rate. [11]

There are two types of allergic reactions - HGH NT (immediate type) and HGH ZT (delayed type). The first case is more dangerous, as severe, immediate reactions develop, rapidly gaining momentum. The person needs immediate emergency help as death may occur. This includes anaphylaxis, choking. Reactions of the immediate type develop slowly, some time after the bite. They are less dangerous, moderately pronounced. As a rule, they are represented by local reactions - local inflammation, hyperemia, irritation, urticaria, itching, edema.

If a person does not have a tendency to allergic reactions, the body's sensitivity to allergens within the permissible age norm, the reaction proceeds at a moderate pace (edema, hyperemia, a minor inflammatory process often develop, which gradually pass on their own or while taking antihistamines).

Diagnostics hornet bite

Diagnostics is important, because if we know exactly who bitten, we will be able to select the most effective treatment and provide emergency care, which will avoid serious conditions and complications. In order to diagnose a hornet bite, you need to contact any clinic or hospital. It may even be a trauma center. You can contact your local therapist, who will tell you about further actions, refer, if necessary, to the necessary specialists, prescribe the necessary tests, instrumental studies. In emergency cases, especially if a person has a tendency to allergic diseases, you should immediately call an ambulance, even if. At first glance, the human condition is not critical. Usually, the diagnosis is made based on the clinical picture simply by examining the bite site and identifying the characteristic features: swelling, swelling, redness, induration and a bite point in the center.

Differential diagnosis

Differential diagnosis is based on the need to differentiate the hornet bite from the bite of other insects. This is not always easy to do. It's good if a person has seen an insect and knows for sure that the bite was caused by a hornet. If a person does not know this, this can significantly complicate the diagnosis, since many bites have similar manifestations. It is especially difficult to make an accurate diagnosis in the event that a person has a tendency to allergic reactions, an attack has developed, a serious condition, severe edema. In such a situation, it is not so critical to know who exactly bit. Emergency care is provided based on the symptoms presented. In other cases, it is necessary to determine those distinguishing signs that are necessary for the correct diagnosis, and which distinguish the hornet bite from the bites of other insects.

For example, when a hornet bites, a white point from the bite is always visible in the center, and edema and redness spreads around it almost evenly. Also a characteristic feature is the formation of a tubercle, tissue compaction. Itching is not the main symptom, pain and burning may be present.

Whereas, for example, with a wasp bite, redness rarely develops. The skin, on the contrary, rather becomes white, a seal appears. In the center of the bite, a sting is visible, which needs to be pulled out as quickly as possible.

When a bee, bumblebee stings, the symptoms are similar, but the seal rarely develops. Basically, the bite site becomes soft, loose, as if swelling.

The gadfly bite is characterized by strong redness, the development of inflammation, since the gadfly can lay eggs. A distinctive feature is the sensation of the bite itself, which most often manifests itself as a sharp stabbing pain. Immediately begins to bake strongly. The burning sensation gradually increases, the bite site turns red, swells. It has a distinctly pronounced puncture of the skin (a small bite mark is noticeable).

Prevention

Prevention is based on the use of special insect repellents. It is also important to avoid staying in insect habitats, in no case do not eat outside, especially sweets, honey. If you go to nature, it is better to take an anti-allergic drug with you in order to be able to provide emergency assistance in a timely manner in case of a hornet bite. In addition, in order to prevent complications, it is necessary to maintain the immune system in good condition, in particular, maintain endurance and good shape. Before any trip, it is better to check with an immunologist, an allergist. Today there are many courses for the preparation of tourists, travelers, which teach the basics of emergency care in case of accidents, injuries, bites. It is better to visit them before your trip, especially if you plan to travel to places where insects can live. An abundant drink is required. This will allow in the event of a bite to avoid complications, to recover faster.

The main condition for avoiding the bites of hornets and other insects is not to leave anything attractive to them (honey, sweets, jam, compotes) nearby. In order not to attract hornets, it is better not to eat anything outside. You can use special insect repellent. And the main thing is to always be ready for a bite. No bite should be taken by surprise. You should always clearly know what to do and how to provide emergency care, there should be an anti-allergic agent nearby. This will help avoid the adverse effects of the bite.

Forecast

If a person is provided with urgent care in a timely manner, the prognosis may be favorable. But if you do not provide emergency assistance, the  hornet bite is  accompanied by adverse local and systemic reactions. In persons with a tendency to allergies, with bronchial asthma and cardiovascular pathologies, it can have serious consequences, up to and including death.