Insect-sting allergy in Israel: immunotherapy with pure venoms.

Demographic, atopic and other clinical characteristics of 25 patients with insect-sting allergy are reported. All patients were skin tested by pure venoms (PVs) or whole body extracts obtained from bees and several vespids. PVs were found to be extremely useful and highly superior to whole body extracts in the diagnosis of insect allergy. Immunotherapy was indicated in 15 patients, 12 of whom completed a 12-wk PV desensitization course. Immunization was associated with minimal side effects and proved to be highly effective against a live-insect challenge.