Immunological studies of the effect of whole body insect extracts in the treatment of stinging insect allergy.

Specific IgE antibodies and total antibodies reacting with bee venom and yellow jacket venom were measured in sequential serum samples of insect-sensitive individuals. Venom-specific IgE decreased as a function of time and was not significantly affected by treatment with whole body extracts. There was no stimulation of total antibodies reacting with bee venom phospholipase A2 (PLA) following treatment with whole bee body extracts. These studies suggest that as measured by these parameters, whole body insect extracts used in the usual recommended doses are immunologically ineffective antigens.