Honey Bee, Allergen IgE

Test Codes

EPIC: LAB1230747, Beaker: EHBEE, CHW: LAB1230747

Department

Send Outs

Instructions

Specimens for insect venom and drugs should be drawn at least 2-3 weeks but not longer than 6 months after exposure.

Specimen Collection Criteria

Collect: One Gold-top SST tube.

Physician Office/Draw Specimen Preparation

Let specimen clot for 30 minutes then centrifuge to separate serum from cells. Transfer serum to plastic transport tube and maintain at refrigerate (2-8°C or 36-46) prior to transport.

Preparation for Courier Transport

Transport: 3.0 mL serum, refrigerated at (2-8°C or 36-46°F). (Minimum: 2.0 mL)

Rejection Criteria

Specimens not collected and processed as indicated.

In-Lab Processing

Let specimen clot for 30 minutes then centrifuge to separate serum from cells. Transfer serum to plastic transport tube and maintain refrigerated at (2-8°C or 36-46) prior to transport.

Transport: 3.0 mL serum, refrigerated at (2-8°C or 36-46°F). (Minimum: 2.0 mL)

Storage

Specimen Stability for Testing:

Room Temperature (20-26°C or 68-78.8°F): 12 hours
Refrigerated (2-8°C or 36-46°F): 7 days
Frozen (-20°C/-4°F or below): Aliquot for longer storage than 7 days.

Specimen Storage in Department Prior to Disposal: 30 days

Specimen retention time is determined by the policy of the reference laboratory. Contact the Send Outs Laboratory with any questions.

Laboratory

Sent to Corewell Health Reference Laboratory, Grand Rapids, MI.

Performed

Monday – Friday.
Results available in 1-3 days.

Reference Range

<0.35 kU/L

Test Methodology

Clinical Utility

Honeybee venom allergens included in this panel are: Api m 1, Api m 2, Api m 3, Api m 5, and Api m 10.

Venom allergy diagnosis is supported by detection of sIgE antibodies using whole extracts or individual allergenic venom proteins. Identifying sIgE responses to specific molecular targets with component resolved diagnostics (CRD) helps fine-tune the diagnosis by distinguishing species-specific, co-reactive, or cross-reactive sensitizations. An accurate diagnosis, in turn, facilitates treatment, including prescription of venom immunotherapy (VIT).

Clinical Disease

In the United States it is estimated that one to two million people are severely allergic to stinging insect venoms. Approximately 90 to 100 deaths occur annually from sting reactions. This number may under-represent the true total because some sting reactions are misdiagnosed as heart attacks, sunstrokes, or other acute illnesses. Death can occur without a previous history of a sting allergy. The frequency of fatal reactions due to anaphylaxis increases with age.

Prophylactic measures must be taken for those individuals who develop severe reactions to insect stings. Specific immunotherapy (hyposensitization) remains the most effective means of treatment with a 96% success rate (1).

Reference

1. Kaplan, Allen P. M.D. Allergy. Churchill Livingstone: New York, pg. 508-509, 1985.

CPT Codes

86008

Contacts

Last Updated

4/1/2026