Ants and bees: whole body extracts vs venom.

Ants, bees, and other stinging hymenoptera can induce serious anaphylactic reactions in susceptible individuals. Certainly, hymenoptera venom contains potent antigens that have been useful in testing and treating hymenoptera-sensitive patients who fail to acquire protection from whole body extract therapy. However, before whole body extracts are forever abandoned, their antigen content and stability should be re-examined by means of modern immunologic methods.