Acute renal failure following multiple stings by africanized bees - abstract

ABSTRACT

From 1979 to October 1990, Africanized bees have stung 3,955 humans with 10 deaths and 1,071 animals with 715 deaths in Trinidad and Tobago. The medical records of all patients seen at the General Hospital, Port-of-Spain, who developed acute renal failure following stings by Africanized bees were included in the study. Of the 5 patients in the study, 4 were males and 1 was female. One patient was stung by just over 500 bees while the rest were stung by over 1,000 bees. All patients had grossly elevated muscle enzymes. Two of the 5 patients died within 48 hours and causes of death were acute pancreatitis with acute renal failure, and acute pulmonary failure with acute renal failure. Two of the three patients who survived were desperately ill and had to be dialyzed. Renal function in these survivors did not return to normal under 50 days. It is likely that other islands of the Caribbean will soon be presented with this syndrome (AU)