In Reply

Many household remedies are being used to treat reactions to insect stings. As such, they have not been studied to a satisfactory degree in terms of their effects and acute or chronic side effects for patients and with regard to other risks (for example, a naked flame, as mentioned by our correspondent). No recommendations for such administrations can therefore be made; however, this does not rule out effectiveness, or the sensation thereof in the subjective case. No hypotheses about the mechanism of action can be formulated as long as the efficacy has not been shown.

DOI: 10.3238/arztebl.2012.0494b

Prof. Dr. med. Bernhard Przybilla
Prof. Dr. med. Franziska Ruëff
Klinik und Poliklinik für Dermatologie und Allergologie
Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität
Bernhard.Przybilla@med.uni-muenchen.de
Franziska.Rueff@med.uni-muenchen.de

Conflict of interest statement
Professor Przybilla is a member of medical specialty societies that were involved in the development of guidelines of the topic (the German Society of Allergology and Clinical Immunology [DGAKI], the Physicians’ Association of German Allergologists [ADA], German Dermatology Society [DDG], European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology).

He has received honoraria for speaking from ALK-Abelló, Novartis, and Stallergenes, and he has acted as an adviser to Janssen.

Furthermore he has received honoraria for conducting commissioned studies from HAL and Novartis.

Professor Ruëff is a member of medical specialty societies that were involved in the development of guidelines of the topic (the German Society of Allergology and Clinical Immunology [DGAKI], the Physicians’ Association of German Allergologists [ADA], German Dermatology Society [DDG], European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology [EAACI]).

She has received honoraria for speaking from ALK-Abelló, Bencard, and HAL.