Sherman R A
Medical Service, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Long Beach, USA.
West J Med. 1995 Dec;163(6):541-6.
The Africanized honeybee, popularly known as the "killer bee," is already well established in Texas and has recently entered California and Arizona. As the Africanized honeybee spreads in North America, the medical community must become aware of the problems associated with this insect and ensure that sting emergencies can be handled quickly and appropriately. The major differences between Africanized and European honeybees are that the former are more irritable, they swarm more readily and frequently, they defend their hives more vehemently, and they sting more collectively. It is not the composition nor the volume of an individual bee's venom, but rather the cumulative dose of multiple stings that accounts for the morbidity and mortality associated with Africanized honeybee-sting incidents. Even nonallergic persons are susceptible to the toxic effects of these large combined venom loads. Africanized honeybee-sting victims are treated the same as victims of European honeybee stings. Authorities will prepare for the bees' arrival by expanding public awareness, teaching risk-avoidance behavior, providing for the removal of troublesome hives, and developing sting treatment protocols that can be initiated rapidly in the field or emergency departments. Health care professionals should participate in the educational efforts and in the development of needed emergency response protocols so that the effects of the Africanized honeybee will be merely a nuisance rather than a plague.
非洲化蜜蜂，俗称“杀人蜂”，已经在得克萨斯州站稳脚跟，最近又进入了加利福尼亚州和亚利桑那州。随着非洲化蜜蜂在北美蔓延，医学界必须意识到与这种昆虫相关的问题，并确保能够迅速、恰当地处理蜇伤紧急情况。非洲化蜜蜂与欧洲蜜蜂的主要区别在于，前者更易怒，更容易且频繁地分群，更激烈地保卫蜂巢，并且更倾向于集体蜇人。导致非洲化蜜蜂蜇伤事件相关发病率和死亡率的并非单个蜜蜂毒液的成分或剂量，而是多次蜇伤的累积剂量。即使是非过敏体质的人也容易受到这些大量混合毒液负荷的毒性影响。非洲化蜜蜂蜇伤的受害者与欧洲蜜蜂蜇伤的受害者治疗方式相同。当局将通过提高公众意识、传授风险规避行为、安排清除麻烦蜂巢以及制定可在现场或急诊科迅速启动的蜇伤治疗方案来为蜜蜂的到来做好准备。医疗保健专业人员应参与教育工作以及制定所需的应急响应方案，以便非洲化蜜蜂的影响仅仅是一种麻烦，而不是一场灾难。
