Bee Stings/ etc: Where they nest and what to do

[abercrombie]

Here's the beginning of a thread on bee stings:


Hymenoptera ("bees") are social creatures that typically sting to protect their colony, nest, or hive. The order Hymenoptera has 3 families:

1. bees (honey, carpenter, bumble); sting once, leaving their barbed stinger and stinging apparatus behind; generally mind their own business;

2. vespids (hornets, wasps and yellow jackets, social or solitary); sting more than once, have a smooth stinger; release a chemical (pheromone) during stinging or when smashed that attracts others and induces them to sting; social vespids are the most aggressive;

3. ants


http://www.clinicalanswers.nhs.uk/in...?question=5931

Wasp stings (vespids): what is the risk of an anaphylactic reaction after the initial sensitizing sting? Would multiple stings in either the initial attack or subsequent exposure increase the likelihood of a severe / anaphylactic reaction? Is it the same with bees?

• “Anaphylaxis can occur after an insect sting, particularly from a bee or wasp [Burns, 2004].

o The incidence of anaphylaxis due to insect stings in the general population is not reliably known, but has been estimated to be between 0.3–3% [Moffitt et al, 2004]. Every year in the UK there are 2–9 deaths due to anaphylaxis from bee or wasp stings [The Anaphylaxis Campaign, 2005].

o A short interval between stings increases the risk of a systemic reaction to a later sting. With increasing intervals between stings, the risk of a systemic reaction decreases.

o Adults who have had a previous severe systemic reaction to a sting have a 79% risk of having a subsequent systemic reaction. In people with a mild systemic reaction, the risk of subsequent systemic reactions is thought to be about 18% [Bilo et al, 2005].

o After a large local reaction, 5–15% of people will go on to develop a systemic reaction when next stung [Bilo et al, 2005].

o Beta-blockers may increase the severity of an anaphylactic reaction.

o People allergic to wasp venom are rarely allergic to bee venom." [1]

(much more interesting information on this page, link above; go read it)


www.medicinenet.com/insect_sting_allergies/article.htm
Stinging Insect Allergies (Bee Stings, Wasp Stings, Others) topics covered are below

* What are stinging insects?
* Who is at risk?
* What types of insect sting reactions occur?
* How is a severe allergic reaction immediately treated?
* How can I avoid insect stings?
* What can I do about becoming immune to insect allergy?
* Stinging Insect Allergies At A Glance


http://www.emedicine.com/emerg/topic55.htm

Causes:
* Hymenoptera are social creatures that typically sting to protect their colony, nest, or hive. Most stings are incited by proximity to the colony. Noisy or vigorous activity (eg, lawn mowers, weed eaters), bright or dark colors, and perfumes also may incite stings. In addition, these insects can release defense pheromones that attract other insects and induce them to sting. These pheromones are released during stinging or when an insect is smashed. Hymenoptera frequently are swallowed, and their stings can cause painful swelling in the mouth or esophagus.

* Anaphylactoid reactions may occur. However, venom load may be sufficient to cause fatal injury without the added effects of the endogenous system. This may result from as few as 30 vespid stings or 200 honeybee stings. Since the compounds are similar in anaphylactic and toxic reactions, pathology and treatment also are similar.

* Bees and wasps sting through a modified ovipositor. They puncture the skin with a hollow stinger and then inject venom. Bees leave their barbed stinger in the skin along with its stinging apparatus, killing the bee. Vespids have smooth or less-barbed stingers and can sting more than once. Vespids are responsible for almost twice as many allergic reactions as honeybees. Retained stingers can cause granuloma formation and subsequent epidermal necrosis (skin death).


www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=6121151&dopt=AbstractPlus

Death comes about through multiple mechanisms, and not through anaphylaxis alone. Like most cases of sudden death, underlying coronary atherosclerosis appears to be the principal mechanism. External factors that affect mortality include environmental temperature and site of sting.


www.wvu.edu/~agexten/wildlife/bees.htm

Multiple stings

Massive venom load: Occasionally, a person is stung many times before being able to flee from the nesting site. Depending on the number of stings, the person may just hurt a lot, feel a little sick, or feel very sick. Humans can be killed if stung enough times in a single incident. With honey bees the toxic dose (LD50) of the venom is estimated to be 8.6 stings per pound of body weight. Obviously, children are at a greater risk than are adults. In fact, an otherwise healthy adult would have to be stung over 1,000 times to be in risk of death. Most deaths caused by multiple stings have occurred in men in their 70s or 80s who were known to have poor cardiopulmonary functioning.

Renal (kidney) insufficiency: A second, potentially life-threatening result of multiple stings occurs days after the incident. Proteins in the venom act as enzymes: one dissolves the cement that holds body cells together, while another perforates the walls of cells. This damage liberates tiny tissue debris that would normally be eliminated through the kidneys. If too much debris accumulates too quickly, the kidneys become clogged and the patient is in danger of dying from kidney failure. It is important for persons who have received many stings at one time to discuss this secondary effect with their doctors. (Wasp stings are as potent in this respect as bee stings.) Patients should be monitored for a week or two following an incident involving multiple stings to be certain that no secondary health problems arise.

U of Florida article in pdf format that talks about short long term effects, among other things.
Bee Stings and Allergic Reactions by Malcolm T. Sanford
http://www.insectstings.co.uk/pdf/sandford.pdf

Fair use disclaimer
http://www.wildlandfire.com/docs/fai...disclaimer.htm

[abercrombie]

from theysaid 9/7

I heard about a problem with an Enterprise Team being lost in the cracks following the death of one of their young employees. Fire employs Forest Service Enterprise Teams and I am concerned that others who work on these teams, often some of the most creative and brightest employees, will find themselves in this boat at some time.

A few days ago Jesse Crawford (age 31) received 3 bee stings while working on a Forest Service project and died the next day. He worked on a Forest Service Enterprise Team that was (I think) doing timber marking on the Shasta T. He lived in Doris CA and leaves behind two daughters ages 3 and 6. His funeral is today.

For those that don't know, an Enterprise Team is comprised of Forest Service Employees that contract with the FS for a particular project. They are part of the FS family and are just organized a little differently along a business plan so as to be more mobile in where they work.

Not surprisingly, Jesse's team members are shocked and hurting. They could use some support, someone to talk with, some counseling, something that others in the FS workplace receive when people die. As I understand it, the safety manager/supervisor of this particular Enterprise Team is located in Idaho, although the team's home base is CA. The manager for the team and those needing help were told to call the Employee Assistance Program's (EAP) 800 phone number. The Employee Assistance Program's response is: We can't help you, you're not in R5.

Now this seems to me to be a case of BS politics. Not in R5? No help til after the autopsy??? What kind of is that? Get our people some help! It's the HUMANE thing to do!!!!

Lesson learned?

*Enterprise Team members are second class or non-citizens within the *Forest Service (because of centralization of the system).

When bee stings happen, doctor up. Demand it!

I'm willing to hear feedback privately or on theysaid and clarify anything. Right now this incident smacks to me of the "deny, deny deny" or the "distance, distance, distance" mentality that occurs whenever bad things happen. Don't admit it could have happened on our watch. It's not really our group, is it? FS Employee Assistance Program People, just be HUMAN BEINGs and step up to help. It doesn't even take Extreme Leadership!

Mellie

[abercrombie]

From theysaid 9/12:

Ab,
Here's Something to Celebrate:

A firefighter on the line on the Wallow Fire (CA-STF) literally saved the life
of an Incident Management Team member on 8/31/07.

The person who was saved was visiting the fireline in performance of his duty
at 2250 hours. He received multiple bee stings (probably from those ground
dwelling wasps that hate to be disturbed by hoselays, being trod on, burned
out, etc).

He went into anaphylactic shock, had trouble breathing and lost consciousness.
Someone working on the line acted quickly and in a "lifesaving" fashion. The
bee sting victim was life-flighted out and survived.

We all want to know who the quick thinking person was! I'm told by Ab that
theysaid won't post any more than their first name without their permission.

Kudos for quick-thinking leadership should be given where kudos are due.
What better place than here?

Strider

[abercrombie]

From theysaid 9/12

Our life saving Good Samaritan is Sandy. I am not surprised! Also providing lots of support were the
crew of E-11
Modoc IHC and
Jim, Medic with Air Med 43 and the others on that crew


Thanks to all for letting your "essential nature" guide your lives.
We recognize it.


You grace our firefighting world with your presence and actions.


Dan, glad you're still with us!


Mellie

[abercrombie]

From theysaid 9/13

Just got back from the Wallow and Moonlight fires. I had to write in about this safety message as soon as I got to a computer.

Wallow fire IAP Monday 9/3/07. Page 12.

RE: Yellow Jacket Safety Briefing (caps is my emphasis)
"If running away is impossible due to injury, fire conditions, or topography, then
DEPLOY A FIRE SHELTER to drastically reduce the number of stings."

It goes on from there talking about bee killing tactics while under your fire shelter.

I can hear the radio traffic now.
"Division Charlie, we had a fire shelter deployment"
all work stops on the incident, tankers diverted, rescue teams roll in.
"oh, it was just bees, no the patient is not allergic, no signs of anaphalaxis"

I'll try to scan the whole page and send it in when I get access to a scanner.

Type 1 Wrench

[ACDJG]

Originally Posted by abercrombie

From theysaid 9/12

Our life saving Good Samaritan is Sandy. I am not surprised! Also providing lots of support were the
crew of E-11
Modoc IHC and
Jim, Medic with Air Med 43 and the others on that crew


Thanks to all for letting your "essential nature" guide your lives.
We recognize it.


You grace our firefighting world with your presence and actions.


Dan, glad you're still with us!


Mellie

Thanks to all is an understatement, I'm here today because a lot of folks went above and beyond the call of duty, I didn't realize I was a topic of discussion until I was cruising thru the general question area and found bee stings. It can happen to anyone, since that incident when I hear that someone been stung I keep an eye on them for a while, been stung many times before with no allergic reaction. Carry and epi- pin with me all the time now.

[Sammi]

http://www.nifc.gov/nicc/sitreprt.pdf


WA- SES- Ellensburg Pass fire is 453 acres/ 100% contained.


News reports from Channel 35 Wednesday night http://www.kndu.com/global/story.asp?s=7066992 reported (on air only) that 8 fire fighters had been stung by bees and 2 had to be medi-vaced to local hospitals for multiple stings. No report on their condition.

Maybe someone who was working this fire can verify this story or add detail.

[abercrombie]

from theysaid, 9/13:

Hazards we can prepare for:

Ab and All,

Bee, wasp, hornet and yellow jacket stings:
Be sure to read the bee safety info that's supposed to be coming out. I want to see that. Lots of multiple yellow jacket sting incidents this year. Yellow jackets in a swarm can be deadly for some people.


Question: If someone has not been allergic to a single bee sting, can multiple stings by a swarm of yellow jackets or hornets or paper wasps still potentially kill them?


SJ

[abercrombie]

from theysaid:

Hey,

Every year I’m out on fires I get a few of those notorious flying hypodermic
needles flying around me. The big black and reddish-orange wasps. I’ve
heard them referred as “stumpbumpers”, ”stumpthumpers”, “stumphumpers”
and of course, “stumpf**kers”.

Anybody ever been stung by one? Do they hurt like hell? Do they lay eggs?

Thanks,

DP 35

I started a hotlist thread (this thread) on bee stings, which include vespids (hornets, wasps and yellow jackets). stumpf**kers are solitary wasps, less likely to sting or cause a stinging frenzy than the "social" wasps.

Feel free to question or answer on the Hotlist. I'm hoping some of our EMTs and Medics know what the current status of treatment is for wildland firefighters. I also heard that following the rash of bee stinging incidents on the fireline, someone was going to be addressing this. Ab.

[abercrombie]

from theysaid:

Re: Question: If someone has not been allergic to a single bee sting, can multiple stings by a swarm of yellow jackets or hornets or paper wasps still potentially kill them?

You can be stung once, then potentially have a fatal reaction to even a single additional sting. Anyone who is stung should be closely watched for a possible reaction. Make sure your first aid kits follow your agency's protocol for stocking sting treatments, preferably with something like an EpiPen. Check expiration dates.

Still Out there as an AD