Diagnosis of Vespa affinis venom allergy: use of immunochemical methods and a passive basophil activation test

BACKGROUND: Allergy to Vespa affinis venom is common in the Asia Pacific region. Venom preparations for diagnosis are not commercially available for this species. METHODS: The prominent allergens in V. affinis venom were identifiedusing immunochemical methods. Use of ImmunoCAP of Vespula vulgaris crude venom/its components and a passive basophil activation test (BAT) in the diagnosis of patients who had anaphylaxis to V. affinis venom (n = 30) were also accessed. The IgE double-positivity rates (positive to both hornet and honeybee) in ImmunoCAP and the passive BAT were determined. RESULTS: High IgE reactivity was seen with the five allergens in V. affinis venom; 96% (29/30) for 34 and 24 kDa, 93% (28/30) for 45 kDa and 90% (27/30) reactivity for the 100 and 80 kDa respectively. IgE cross-reactivity was low with ImmunoCAP using V. vulgaris venom (43%; 13/30) and Ves v1 (3%; 1/30), but relatively high with Ves v5 (73%; 22/30). All patients (100%) were positive to V. affinis venom in passive BAT. In ImmunoCAP, a high double-positivity rate (76%; 23/30) was detected while no double-positivity was detected in passive BAT. CONCLUSIONS: High IgE reactivity for five allergens of V. affinis points to the potential of using these allergens in component resolved diagnosis (CRD). The passive BAT has shown its importance as a promising diagnostic tool with high accuracy. It would be particularly useful in cases with doubtful double-positive results of other diagnostic tests.