RESUMO
OBJECTIVES: During July to October 2013, the Asian giant hornet has killed 42 and injured 1,675 people in the southern part of Shaanxi Province, China. This study investigated this unusual and frequent public health event. METHODS: During the 3 months, 103 patients with severe Asian hornet stings were hospitalized in our hospital. Clinical data were collected using a standardized data collection form which included sex, age, length of hospital stay and medical recorder. RESULTS: After physical examination and laboratory investigation, 25.2, 46.6 and 44.7 % of the patients were found with varying degrees of acute interstitial nephritis, acute toxic hepatitis and acute toxic myocarditis, respectively. After timely and appropriate treatment including removal of the stings and the use of intravenous methylprednisolone and antihistamines, the kidney function, liver function and heart function of 99 patients recovered within 1 month, while four patients died. CONCLUSIONS: This study provided a good opportunity for recognizing the effect of Asian giant hornet stings and evaluating this serious public health event.