As the height of the wasp season arrives, allergy sufferers are being warned that stings can be deadly

Spending a sunny late summer day in the allotment is a lovely way to pass the time, but for keen gardener and veg grower Steve Fletcher, a single wasp sting triggered the start of a potentially life-threatening condition. Alone on this little patch of earth, the 62-year-old, from Jesmond, Newcastle, was busy pruning a fruit tree when he accidentally trod on a wasps’ nest. “A few flew out of the nest and one stung me on the arm,” he recalls. “At first I didn’t think anything of it, although it hurt as much as you would expect it to. I had quite a big red welt on my arm, but nothing more.”

It didn’t once cross his mind that he was in any difficulty until he noticed that the same red welts started to appear on his other arm, which hadn’t been stung. “I was quite worried when I realised the reaction was spreading and my breathing was becoming shallower - it was only then that I felt in danger,” he says. “I was alone and knew I needed to get to help fast. Fearing I was about to collapse, I managed to reach the road and decided to head to a friend’s house no more than 200 yards away.”

As he walked up the road, he started to feel more and more breathless. “My breathing was getting shallower with every step, and despite the short distance, by the time I reached my friend’s house, I could barely stand up and feared I was about to collapse,” he says. Fortunately for Steve, his friend happened to be a doctor and immediately administered antihistamines.

“I had to lie down for a long time,” says Steve, a former social worker. “I wasn’t very worried at this point as my breathing had recovered and I intended to go home. My friend, however, recognised the seriousness of the reaction and insisted I go to my own GP that same day. By the time I reached the clinic, my breathing and oxygen levels had returned to normal, but my entire torso was still swollen and covered in red welts.”

One per cent of the UK population is at risk of a sting provoking an allergic reaction and a small minority of these people will go on to develop the potentially fatal allergic symptoms of anaphylaxis, but like Steve, most are unaware they are at risk. So as the height of the wasp season arrives, a national campaign supported by the charity, the Anaphylaxis Campaign is highlighting the dangers of anaphylaxis from wasp stings and the importance of awareness, prevention and treatment options to beat the condition. The call from the charity comes now because wasps are at their most active and late summer is the most critical time to be vigilant.

Steve’s passion is being outdoors, he is a keen gardener and walker and spends his spare time volunteering on activity holidays which require him to be mostly outside, usually in isolated rural locations, meaning he is not only more likely to encounter a wasp, but help is also further away should he need it.

Soon after his initial reaction, Steve went on a walk along the Pembrokeshire coast path. “I was quite nervous whilst on that walk,” he says. “Every time I saw a flying bug, I gave it a very wide berth. Thankfully, I have now been enrolled in a treatment programme which should eventually protect me for life.”

Since the first attack Steve has been prescribed two adrenaline pens and has been trained in how and when to use them. A dose of adrenaline could be lifesaving should the worst happen.

What Steve didn’t know then is that there is a long-term treatment provided by the NHS which administers purified wasp venom in incremental doses over a long period – usually a few years. The injections are given by specialist medical professionals at about 60 specialist centers around the UK.

“I have now completed the 12-week escalation period and am now on the monthly maintenance dose,” says Steve. ““What is striking about everyone I meet at the clinic is that none of us realised we might be at risk of anaphylaxis, which is quite a worrying fact. Had my doctor friend not insisted on taking me to see my GP, my next reaction might have been more severe. I would encourage anyone concerned, or who has had a bad reaction, to take note of my story and the experiences of others.

“Now I know that if I get stung I can sit down, take some antihistamines and use my injector pen if needed and I will be okay. I am hoping that once my desensitisation treatment is complete in a couple of years’ time, I will no longer be at risk of having a severe reaction to wasp stings.”

• To find out more about the Bee Resistant campaign, which aims to raise awareness of anaphylaxis, visit beeresistant.com. If you are concerned about anaphylaxis, visit your GP or contact the Anaphylaxis Campaign on 01252 542029.

WHAT TO LOOK OUT FOR

Symptoms of anaphylaxis include itching commonly affecting the palms, soles, groin area and scalp, general hives, swelling of the lips, tongue or throat, difficulty in breathing, tightness in the chest, faintness or dizziness and a feeling of fear or impending doom.

In case of an emergency:

• If an adrenaline device is available, use it without delay if you believe the reaction is severe, or becoming severe

• Dial 999 and call an ambulance immediately – say that the person is suffering from anaphylaxis

• Keep the patient as still as possible

• If they recover quickly, it is still important to go to hospital for observation or visit their GP in case of delayed or repeated reactions

Local (i.e. at the site of the sting) allergic reactions do not require emergency treatment. Cold compresses or pain killers can be used to quell the burning sensation caused by the sting. Keeping a swollen limb elevated can also help to ease the pain and antihistamines can be taken to help reduce swelling and itching