major, most potent allergens of family Vespidae. Several studies have reported the
diagnostic sensitivity of the novel recombinant (r)Ves v 5 and rPol d 5 allergens in
routine clinical laboratory settings by analyzing a group of Vespula and Polistes venom-
allergic patients. In this study, we analyzed the sensitivity to venom specific (s)IgE by
spiking with rVes v 5 and rPol d 5 in Japanese patients suspected of Hymenoptera
venom allergy.
Methods: Subjects were 41 patients who had experienced systemic reactions to hornet
and/or paper wasp stings. Levels of serum sIgE against hornet and paper wasp venom
by spiking with rVes v 5 and rPold d 5, respectively, as improvement testing, compared
with hornet and paper wasp venom, as conventional testing, were measured by
ImmunoCAP.
Results: Of the 41 patients, 33 (80.5%) were positive (≥0.35UA/ml) for hornet and/or
paper wasp venom in conventional sIgE testing. sIgE levels correlated significantly
(P<0.01) between hornet (R=0.92) or paper wasp venom (R=0.78) in improvement
testing and conventional testing. To determine specificity, 20 volunteers who had never
experienced a Hymenoptera sting were all negative for sIgE against these venoms in
both improvement and conventional testing. Improved sensitivity was seen in 8 patients
negative for sIgE against both venoms in conventional testing, while improvement
testing revealed sIgE against hornet or paper wasp venom in 5 (total 38 (92.7%))
patients.
Conclusions: The measurement of sIgE following spiking of rVes v 5 and rPol d 5 by
conventional testing in Japanese subjects with sIgE against hornet and paper wasp
venom, respectively, improved the sensitivity for detecting Hymenoptera venom allergy.
Improvement testing for measuring sIgE levels against hornet and paper wasp venom
has potential for serologically elucidating Hymenoptera allergy in Japan.