Wasp season peaks, posing potentially life-threatening risks for allergy sufferers

Wasp season in Austria is reaching its natural peak, bringing heightened risks for those with insect venom allergies. Physician Gunter Sturm warns that stings can be potentially life-threatening, a danger often underestimated. In Austria, seven people die annually from insect stings, with a recent case involving a 32-year-old man who died after a hornet sting, possibly because his adrenaline pen was not readily accessible.

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All those who have never been stung "cannot have an allergy yet."

Sturm emphasizes that preventable deaths are a reality, highlighting an immunotherapy that provides protection within weeks and boasts a nearly 100% success rate. This therapy, covered by health insurance, requires seven weeks of "build-up" with weekly vaccinations, followed by a maintenance phase lasting three to five years with monthly doses. He describes it as a "super effective therapy with few side effects."

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Stings are "potentially life-threatening" for allergy sufferers.

While an emergency kit with an adrenaline pen is a last resort, it is better than nothing, according to Sturm. The current conditions, with heat and dryness favoring wasp development, have created optimal environments for these insects. The populations of the German wasp (Vespula germanica) and the common wasp (Vespula vulgaris), the two species most likely to approach humans, are currently quite large. Hornets, though less common, are generally peaceful, and their venom is similar in composition to that of wasps.

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There is an almost 100 percent success rate" for immunotherapy.