Black Fire Ant ( Solenopsis Richteri ) Sting Producing Anaphylaxis: A Report Of 10 Cases from Najran

Crystal Structure of Sol i 2: A Major Allergen from Fire Ant Venom

“…1 Today, fire ants are serious pests in the southern United States, Pacific Islands, 2 Southeast Asia, 3,4 and Middle East. 5 In the southeastern United States, the stings of imported fire ants are the most common cause of insect venom anaphylaxis. 1,6,7 Fire ant venom consists of a mixture of very basic piperidine alkaloids 8 and a small aqueous phase containing four major proteins.…”

Ant allergy in Asia and Australia

“…No fatalities were reported. The clinical manifestations of anaphylaxis are similar to those seen with other stings, consisting of generalized urticaria, flushing, shortness of breath and hypotension with cardiovascular collapse [13]. Even though there are few published reports in Asia of death due to ant stings, it is probable that it is under-recognized and under-reported.…”

“…A retrospective review over 2 years of cases admitted to Najran General Hospital, Saudi Arabia, identified 10 cases of anaphylaxis due to the sting of S. richteri [13]. The majority of these patients presented with typical symptoms of generalized urticaria, dypsnoea and hypotension.…”

“…In many areas of Asia, ant immunotherapy is not available because of insufficient data on its efficacy, unavailability of extracts and lack of physician expertise [13]. Regarding general measures, patients need to be educated on the importance of avoiding re-sting.…”

Ant venoms

“…S. geminata, the tropical fire ant, is a well known tramp species and has become a serious problem in many Asian islands including Indonesia [16] and Taiwan [17], following its spread across many Pacific islands. The black imported fire ant, S. richteri, has been carried to Saudi Arabia [18].…”