Bee-sting mortality in Australia
Harvey, P.; Sperber, S.; Kette, F.; Heddle, R.J.; Roberts-Thomson, P.J.
Medical Journal of Australia 140(4): 209-211
1984
ISSN/ISBN: 0025-729X PMID: 6694624 Document Number: 232128
Death as a result of a bee sting is uncommon in Australia. During the 22 years from 1960 to 1981, 25 individuals have been recorded by the Australian Bureau of Statistics as having died shortly after a bee sting (a mortality incidence of 0.086/1 000 000 population per year). This may be an underestimate, as two additional fatalities are reported that did not appear in the records of the Bureau of Statistics. Fatalities have occurred predominantly in men over 40 years of age, which suggests that there may be other contributory risk factors, for example, coronary atherosclerosis. No deaths were reported in individuals aged from 6 to 19 years, the age group in which bee-sting anaphylaxis is particularly common. It thus appears that the prevention of death per se is not a strong rationale for routine venom immunotherapy in children and young adults.Author.