What just stung you? New test determines the source, offers treatment suggestions

BURLINGTON – How many times have you been stung or bitten by something, don’t know what it was, and are concerned you may be at risk from an allergic reaction? Well, Labcorp has a new test to take the guess work out of stings and bites.

“Labcorp is the only reference laboratory to offer stinging insect (venom) component testing,” said Dr. Andre Valcour, vice president and laboratory director of Labcorp Diagnostic’s esoteric testing unit, in announcing the new test. “The launch of this new interpretative report is another example of how Labcorp continues to provide clinical expertise and value to providers and patients by identifying specific insect species for therapy and offering guidance on successful venom immunotherapy.”

Labcorp, the global life science conglomerate based in Burlington with operations across the Triangle, unveiled the test on Tuesday. It’s the latest in a series of new tests Labcorp has launched in recent months, including those targeting monkeypox, COVID and more.

The company notes that some 10 million people in the United States alone “have a history of systemic or anaphylactic reaction to insect stings, with the risk of a severe and potentially life-threatening allergic reaction.”

Risks from isect stings aren’t to be underestimated, warns Johns Hopkins:

“The 2 greatest risks from most insect stings are allergic reaction (which can be fatal in some people) and infection (more common and less serious),” the health care giant says.

“Bees, wasps, yellow jackets, and hornets belong to a class of insects called Hymenoptera. Most insect stings cause only minor discomfort. Stings can happen anywhere on the body and can be painful and frightening. Most stings are from honey bees or yellow jackets. Fire ants, usually found in southern states, can sting multiple times. The sites of the stings are more likely to become infected.”

With this new test, Labcorp says it wants to “help facilitate more effective venom therapy.”

Called the Stinging Insect Component-Specific IgE Testing, it can help patients and doctors develop a more precise diagnosis in developing an immunotherapy treatment. Such an approach can help protect against future reactions and minimize side effts, the company says.

Labcorp points out the test relies on “current Allergy Practice Parameters, which are sponsored by the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology and the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, to offer treatment suggestions.”

Learn about the Practice Parameters at this website.