A simple test could save the lives of people who are at risk of developing a potentially fatal reaction to bee and wasp stings.
Many people have an allergic reaction to bee and wasp venom.
However, a small number of individuals have a much more violent reaction known as anaphylactic shock. Researchers have found that people who go into anaphylactic shock tend to have permanently raised concentrations of an enzyme called tryptase in their blood. They believe it could be possible to test people who develop an allergic reaction for levels of this enzyme after being stung. If they were found to have permanently elevated levels of tryptase, the individuals would require lifelong treatment - rather than the standard treatment for allergic reaction, which lasts for five years. Blood tests The raised levels of tryptase are linked to an accumulation of a specific type of cell in the skin which produce the enzyme.