Insect sting allergy.

Hymenoptera venom is a well recognized cause of allergic reactions. These allergic reactions are common and may at times be life threatening. Precautions such as avoidance and the possession (and use) of epinephrine can decrease the incidence and severity of such reactions. Venom immunotherapy is the treatment of choice in those patients who have had systemic allergic reactions and are shown to be vespid allergic by skin testing.