Diagnosis of Hymenoptera hypersensitivity by skin testing with Hymenoptera venoms.

This double-blind study provides evidence that skin testing with dialyzed Hymenoptera venoms is a more accurate, reliable method of diagnosing hypersensitivity to the sting of honeybee, yellow jacket, yellow hornet, white-faced hornet, and wasp than is skin testing with the corresponding whole body diagnostic allergenic extract. Furthermore, the incidence of false-positives was greatly reduced by using the dialyzed Hymenoptera venom (HDV) diagnosis. In this clinical trial, most sensitive individuals had skin test reactions greater than the diluent control at concentrations of 1 mug/ml or below. Levels of venom diagnostic of 100 mug/ml appeared to produce nonspecific local irritation. Skin test with whole body diagnostic allergenic extract did not produce a consistent differentiation between sensitive and nonsensitive individuals. No untoward reactions were seen using the dialyzed Hymenoptera venom (HDV) diagnostic.