Venom Testing

Your doctor has referred you to us to determine whether or not you are allergic to bees’ venom. You will be tested to stinging insects, i.e. bee, wasp, hornet, yellow & white jackets, or fire. This test is performed to identify the venom that causes a reaction. If you are allergic, then you will show positive reaction to either one or all five tested venoms. Initially, skin prick test is performed, in which a tiny amount of venom is lightly pricked into the skin with a plastic applicator. This test is performed on the arm. If you have specific venom sensitivity, a red raised itchy hive will appear on your skin within 15-20 minutes. Venom that did not show positive reaction to prick test will be retested by intradermal method with incremental dose until it is show allergic reaction to testing or no response to the highest dose. Intradermal test involves injecting a very small amount of the allergen under the skin on the upper arm like TB test.

The testing generally takes about 1/2 hour to 1/2 day depending at what stage you react. If you have a specific allergic sensitivity to any of these allergens, a red raised itchy hive will appear on your skin within 15-20 minutes. Sometime local swelling at the test site will begin to appear 4 to 8 hours after the skin tests are applied, particularly at the sites of the intradermal testing. These reactions are not serious and will disappear after a few days. Applying ice and hydrocortisone cream to the site will bring relief to the sites. (Pictures in Allergy & Food Testing section).