Massive Honey Bee Envenomation-Induced Rhabdomyolysis in an Adolescent

Massive envenomations by honey bees are capable of causing multiorgan dysfunction as a result of the direct toxic effects of the large venom load received. Although all varieties of honey bee have the potential for these attacks, the Africanized honey bee (Apis mellifera scutellata) is the most comm...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Pediatrics (Evanston) 2006-01, Vol.117 (1), p.231-235
Main Authors: Betten, David P, Richardson, William H, Tong, Tri C, Clark, Richard F
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adolescent
Anatomy & physiology
Animal attacks
Animals
Bee Venoms - poisoning
Bees
Biological and medical sciences
Bites (Injuries)
Bites and stings
Care and treatment
Diagnosis
General aspects
Humans
Insect Bites and Stings - complications
Male
Medical disorders
Medical sciences
Miscellaneous
Nephrology. Urinary tract diseases
Nephropathies. Renovascular diseases. Renal failure
Pediatrics
Public health. Hygiene
Public health. Hygiene-occupational medicine
Renal failure
Rhabdomyolysis
Rhabdomyolysis - etiology
Teenagers
Toxicity
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Summary:Massive envenomations by honey bees are capable of causing multiorgan dysfunction as a result of the direct toxic effects of the large venom load received. Although all varieties of honey bee have the potential for these attacks, the Africanized honey bee (Apis mellifera scutellata) is the most commonly implicated subspecies. In the United States, the Africanized strain is found primarily in the southwestern states and is known for its highly defensive behavior if disturbed. Mechanisms behind the multiorgan dysfunction produced by these mass envenomations are not clearly understood. We present a case of a 13-year-old male who was stung by approximately 700 honey bees and developed progressive upper-body swelling and systemic manifestations of mass envenomation including rhabdomyolysis, renal insufficiency, and a transient transaminase elevation.
ISSN:0031-4005
1098-4275
DOI:10.1542/peds.2005-1075