What's Eating You? Bees, Part 2: Venom Immunotherapy and Mastocytosis

Bee stings are common in the United States. In part 1 of this series, we reviewed the characteristics of bumblebees, honeybees, and Africanized honeybees; the types and pathophysiology of sting reactions; and the medical management and prevention of bee stings. In this article, we review the concepts and practice of venom immunotherapy. We further discuss the diagnosis of systemic mastocytosis, initially presenting as anaphylaxis, and the efficacy of immunotherapy in patients with mastocytosis.