       Document 0565
 DOCN  M9640565
 TI    What physicians should know about Africanized honeybees.
 DT    9604
 AU    Sherman RA; Medical Service, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Long
       Beach,; USA.
 SO    West J Med. 1995 Dec;163(6):541-6. Unique Identifier : AIDSLINE
       MED/96137730
 AB    The Africanized honeybee, popularly known as the killer bee, is already
       well established in Texas and has recently entered California and
       Arizona. As the Africanized honeybee spreads in North America, the
       medical community must become aware of the problems associated with this
       insect and ensure that sting emergencies can be handled quickly and
       appropriately. The major differences between Africanized and European
       honeybees are that the former are more irritable, they swarm more
       readily and frequently, they defend their hives more vehemently, and
       they sting more collectively. It is not the composition nor the volume
       of an individual bee's venom, but rather the cumulative dose of multiple
       stings that accounts for the morbidity and mortality associated with
       Africanized honeybee-sting incidents. Even nonallergic persons are
       susceptible to the toxic effects of these large combined venom loads.
       Africanized honeybee-sting victims are treated the same as victims of
       European honeybee stings. Authorities will prepare for the bees' arrival
       by expanding public awareness, teaching risk-avoidance behavior,
       providing for the removal of troublesome hives, and developing sting
       treatment protocols that can be initiated rapidly in the field or
       emergency departments. Health care professionals should participate in
       the educational efforts and in the development of needed emergency
       response protocols so that the effects of the Africanized honeybee will
       be merely a nuisance rather than a plague.
 DE    Animal  *Bees  Health Education  Human  *Insect Bites and
       Stings/PREVENTION & CONTROL/THERAPY  JOURNAL ARTICLE  REVIEW  REVIEW,
       TUTORIAL

       SOURCE: National Library of Medicine.  NOTICE: This material may be
       protected by Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.Code).

