A bee sting allergy can happen to anyone

Are you convinced that you are not allergic to bees? Think twice! An allergic reaction can happen to anyone. Kris has been a beekeeper for many years and was stung several times. He never experienced an allergic reaction until 2017 so he wrote down his story. 

 

Beekeeping without being stung is a non-existant scenario. Every beekeeper realizes that by now. Unfortunately, disaster struck me in 2017. What appeared to be a simple bee sting caused a massive allergic shock reaction. Everything went very fast. In just five minutes my body looked and felt as if I had been rolling naked through the nettles, followed by a swollen throat and shortness of breath. Fortunately, the emergency department of UZ Gasthuisberg, Leuven, was able to intervene in time. 

 

In the meantime, I have followed immunotherapy at UZ, a therapy that focuses on the immune system. I can continue beekeeping with full confidence. Without this therapy I would have had to stop beekeeping irrevocably. Worse, any bee sting could have been fatal! 

 

It is important to know that this allergy can suddenly affect any of us: our family, our children, neighbors or friends. The fact that you were never allergic before is no guarantee for the future. Further scientific research is therefore needed to be able to help many other people. Meanwhile, the Insect Allergy Fund was established under the leadership of Professor Christine Breynaert. The aim of this fund is to conduct scientific research into insect (venom) allergy and provide information to both the general public and doctors.