Yellow Hornet Research Articles

VENOM IMMUNOTHERAPY: SELECTIVE DESENSITIZATION

<h3>Introduction</h3> A patient with venom anaphylaxis with IgE to paper wasp and honeybee, brought in hymenoptera identified as paper wasp and honeybee. We elected to desensitize to both, and not to other positive agents which were attributed to cross reactivity and agents not located in the region. <h3>Case Description</h3> A 70yoM presented after anaphylaxis to hymenoptera. He tested positive on serum venom IgE of 11.3 kU/L - paper wasp, >100 - honeybee, 2.12 - yellow jacket, 1.46 - white faced hornet; and <0.35 - yellow hornet. He brought in two specimens identified by clinic providers as a paper wasp and honeybee and underwent Rush venom immunotherapy to both agents which he tolerated well. He had subsequent field stings without systemic reaction. <h3>Discussion</h3> In patients with venom hypersensitivity, patient and exposure history remains the most important determinant in the decision for what agents to test and desensitize for. This patient tested positive to yellow jacket, not found in the region and thus was not likely the culprit and he did not bring in a white-faced hornet. It was decided they were not the likely cause of his anaphylaxis and therefore that it would be of little benefit to desensitize to these. We used exposure data to help identify what we desensitize the patient to. By selectively choosing agents based on history, we were able to desensitize the patient appropriately and avoided over utilization of health care expenses in the setting of venom shortages, by conserving the venom for testing and desensitization.

EFFECT OF OMALIZUMAB ON VENOM SPECIFIC IGE AND VENOM SKIN TESTING

<h3>Introduction</h3> Omalizumab, a monoclonal IgG antibody which binds free IgE, is indicated for the treatment of chronic spontaneous urticaria, uncontrolled nasal polyps, and moderate to severe asthma with perennial allergic sensitization. This case illustrates the effect of omalizumab on venom-specific IgE and percutaneous testing. <h3>Case Description</h3> A 48 year old female with severe persistent asthma on omalizumab for six years experienced wheezing and throat swelling within two hours of a suspected hymenoptera sting. Evaluation while patient remained on omalizumab included venom serology obtained two weeks after sting, which was positive only to paper wasp and white-faced hornet, and percutaneous testing three months after sting to honeybee, yellow jacket, and yellow hornet, which was negative through 0.1 ug/mL intradermals, at which time testing was stopped due to systemic reaction. After holding omalizumab for sixteen weeks, repeat percutaneous testing was performed but confounded by dermatographism; repeat venom serology revealed increased specific IgE to all tested hymenoptera except honeybee. <h3>Discussion</h3> To our knowledge, this is the first report describing omalizumab's effect on venom-specific IgE levels and percutaneous testing. Given previous studies that have suggested omalizumab does not convert specific IgE for environmental allergens from positive to negative, it is important for allergists to be aware of omalizumab's potential to suppress venom-specific IgE and skin test reactivity. If a patient on omalizumab with concern for venom hypersensitivity has negative serologic or percutaneous testing to hymenoptera, consideration should be given to repeating testing after omalizumab has been discontinued for four to five half-lives.

First record of Vespa crabro Linnaeus (Hymenoptera: Vespidae) in western North America with a review of recorded species of Vespa Linnaeus in Canada.

Vespa crabro Linnaeus is newly reported as an adventive species in British Columbia, Canada which is the first record of this invasive species in western North America. The specimen of V. crabro was identified using morphological diagnostic keys and by comparison to authoritatively identified specimens. DNA barcoding provided support that the British Columbia specimen is conspecific with sequenced specimens of V. crabro. It is not possible to be certain of the origin of the specimen, but the DNA barcode was identical to sequence from specimens of V. crabro from South Korea. DNA barcoding was also performed on morphologically identified specimens of Vespa simillima and Vespa soror collected previously in British Columbia and the sequences were closest to V. simillima and V. soror Genbank sequences, respectively. There is no evidence that any of these species have established populations in the province. We provide diagnostic morphological characters to distinguish Canadian Vespa species from each other including Vespa mandarinia which has recently established populations in British Columbia and Washington State, USA. The potential detrimental impacts of each species are discussed.

Combining Discordant Serum IgE and Skin Testing Improves Diagnostic and Therapeutic Accuracy for Hymenoptera Venom Hypersensitivity Immunotherapy

Diagnosis of patients with hymenoptera venom hypersensitivity consists of elucidating clinical symptoms suggestive of systemic reaction (SR) and then confirmation of sensitization via intradermal skin testing (IDST) first and serum IgE assays such as ImmunoCAP (ICAP) as a complementary modality of diagnosis. Determine the concordance between ICAP and IDST in patients with a clinical history suggestive of hymenoptera venom SR. Determine whether venom immunotherapy would change on the basis of IDST versus ICAP results. A prospective diagnostic study was designed to test the concordance between IDST and ICAP venom testing in the diagnosis of hymenoptera venom hypersensitivity. This study entailed testing both IDST and ICAP for 5 hymenoptera venoms (honey bee, wasp, yellow jacket, yellow hornet, and white-faced hornet) in both a case group with SR to hymenoptera venom (N= 70) and a control group without SR (N= 51). Significant discordance was observed between positive IDST and ICAP results for any of the 5 hymenoptera venoms (McNemar test, P= .001). In the case group, there was significant discordance for wasp (P < .0001), yellow jacket (P= .002), and white-faced hornet (P= .02). More than 47% of the case patients would have different venom immunotherapy prescriptions if ICAP and IDST had been performed during initial diagnosis versus IDST alone. Our study shows significant discordance between IDST and ICAP; however, they are complementary. On the basis of our data, we propose ICAP testing first followed by IDST for ICAP-negative venoms as an alternative and efficient diagnostic strategy.

The mitochondrial genome of a social wasp, Vespa simillima simillima (Hymenoptera: Vespidae)

We analyzed the complete mitochondrial genome of a social wasp, Vespa simillima simillima from South Korea prior to a systematic study on Korean Vespidae. The mitogenome is 16,740 bp in length, includes 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 22 tRNAs, 2 rRNAs, and a 228 bp short A + T-rich region. The overall base composition is 82.0% AT and 18.0% GC. The maximum-likelihood analysis suggested that V. s. simillima is closely related to V. bicolor, another species of Vespidae.

Reproductive interference by alien hornet Vespa velutina threatens the native populations of Vespa simillima in Japan.

The yellow-legged hornet Vespa velutina has become one of the major alien species in European and East Asian countries. As in its homeland, the invading V. velutina is reported as the major predator of honeybees and is becoming a threat to beekeeping in Europe. However, it remains unknown how V. velutina might affect native hornets when it invades Asia, where a large number of Vespa species are distributed. Thus, by analyzing the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I gene, we investigated whether interspecific mating occurs between V. velutina and Japanese native Vespa spp. Our results showed that the alien V. velutina causes reproductive interference in Japanese native hornet Vespa simillima. Forty-three percent of native V. simillima queens had the sperm of V. velutina males, and among the all V. simillima queens analyzed, 28% only had V. velutina sperm. We did not find evidence of V. velutina queens having the sperm of V. simillima males. These findings suggest that reproductive interference by V. velutina males poses a threat to the native V. simillima populations. A decline of V. simillima may also negatively affect other insects that interact with V. simillima.

Automated classification of bees and hornet using acoustic analysis of their flight sounds

To investigate how to accurately identify bee species using their sounds, we conducted acoustic analysis to identify three pollinating bee species (Apis mellifera, Bombus ardens, Tetralonia nipponensis) and a hornet (Vespa simillima xanthoptera) by their flight sounds. Sounds of the insects and their environment (background noises and birdsong) were recorded in the field. The use of fundamental frequency and mel-frequency cepstral coefficients to describe feature values of the sounds, and supported vector machines to classify the sounds, correctly distinguished sound samples from environmental sounds with high recalls and precision (0.96–1.00). At the species level, our approach could classify the insect species with relatively high recalls and precisions (0.7–1.0). The flight sounds of V.s. xanthoptera, in particular, were perfectly identified (precision and recall 1.0). Our results suggest that insect flight sounds are potentially useful for detecting bees and quantifying their activity.

Transformation of Coiled α-Helices into Cross-β-Sheets Superstructure.

The fibrous silk produced by bees, wasps, ants, or hornets is known to form a four-strand α-helical coiled coil superstructure. We have succeeded in showing the formation of this coiled coil structure not only in natural fibers, but also in artificial films made of regenerated silk of the hornet Vespa simillima xanthoptera using wide- and small-angle X-ray scatterings and polarized Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. On the basis of time-resolved simultaneous synchrotron X-ray scattering observations for in situ monitoring of the structural changes in regenerated silk material during tensile deformation, we have shown that the application of tensile force under appropriate conditions induces a transition from the coiled α-helices to a cross-β-sheet superstructure. The four-stranded tertiary superstructure remains unchanged during this process. It has also been shown that the amorphous protein chains in the regenerated silk material are transformed into conventional β-sheet arrangements with varying orientation.

European honeybee defense against Japanese yellow hornet using heat generation by bee‐balling behavior

AbstractThe Japanese honeybee, Apis cerana japonica Radoszkowski, uses unique generation of heat by bee‐balling to defend against, overheat and kill predacious Japanese hornets. We have now observed the European honeybee, Apis mellifera Linnaeus, using similar bee‐balling behavior and heat generation against the Japanese yellow hornet, Vespa simillima xanthoptera Cameron. We monitored temperatures in the center of the bee‐ball and inside thoracic muscles of the captured hornet and found that the thoracic internal temperature (45.8 ± 2.32°C) was higher than that of the bee‐ball (44.0 ± 0.96°C). Although the thoracic temperature of captured hornets rose to the upper lethal level, defending European bees also showed some stinging attempts against the hornet, unlike the sympatric Japanese honeybee, which never stings during bee‐balling. The European honeybee bee‐balling behavior consists of three phases: (i) heating; (ii) heat‐retaining; and (iii) break up. Our results suggest that European honeybees kill hornets by raising the body temperature of hornets rapidly without stinging. The tactics of bee‐balling against hornets are complex and may be performed by extended division of labor.

Stinging insect allergy and venom immunotherapy.

The Hymenoptera order is divided into three families: Apidae, Vespidae, and Formicidae. Apidae include the honeybee, bumblebee, and sweat bee, which are all docile and tend to sting mostly on provocation. The Africanized killer bee, a product of interbreeding between the domestic and African honeybee, is very aggressive and is mostly found in Mexico, Central America, Arizona, and California. The yellow jacket, yellow hornet, white (bald) faced hornet, and paper wasp all belong to the Vespidae family. The Formicidae family includes the harvester ant and the fire ant. When a "bee" sting results in a large local reaction, defined as >10 cm induration and lasting > 24 hours, the likelihood of anaphylaxis from a future sting is approximately 5%. For comparison, when there is a history of anaphylaxis from a previous Hymenoptera sting and the patient has positive skin test results to venom, at least 60% of adults and 20-32% of children will develop anaphylaxis with a future sting. Both patient groups should be instructed about avoidance measures and about carrying and knowing when to self-inject epinephrine, but immunotherapy with Hymenoptera venom is indicated for those patients with a history of anaphylaxis from the index sting and not for patients who have experienced a large local reaction. Immunotherapy is highly effective in that, by 4 years of injections, the incidence of subsequent sting-induced reactions is 3%. This incidence may increase modestly after discontinuation of injections but has not been reported to be > 10% in follow up.

Composition of the insect diet in feces of yellow-throated marten, Martes flavigula, in Jirisan National Park, South Korea

The composition of the Martes flavigula diet has been extensively studied, but little is known about its insect component. This study characterized the insect diet and insect nest materials in the feces of M. flavigula . A total of 952 fecal samples were collected in Jirisan National Park from January 2009 to November 2011, and 1379 species or taxonomic groups were identified. M. flavigula fed on insects (8.7%) and bee wax (5.0%), which comprised 2.9% and 4.4% of the dry weight of M. flavigula feces, respectively. A total of 12 insect species belonging to 8 families in 3 orders were identified. The most fre quently found insects were Hymenoptera (frequency of occurrence, FO, 89.1), including Vespa simillima simillima (FO, 37.3) and Vespula koreensis koreensis (FO, 20.0). The Vespidae constituted the majority of the insect diet in autumn when the diversity of marten’s prey was strongly reduced, probably because the numbers of social insects were sufficient for M. flavigula. In addition, the data suggest that M. flavigula attacks the nests of social wasps in late autumn when males do not have a venomous sting and new queens are less aggressive than workers. Bee wax appeared in all seasons and the highest rate was from spring to early summer. However, the remains of honeybees were not found in feces; thus, M. fla vigula presumably eats honey but not honeybees.

Comparative Analysis on the Nest Structures of the Korean Yellowjacket, Vespula koreensis and the Yellow Hornet, Vespa simillima simillima

This study compared the nest structure of the Korean yellowjacket, Vespula koreensis and the yellow hornet, Vespa simillima simillima, both belonging to the subfamily Vespinae which contains the largest and best-known eusocial wasps. Vespula and Vespa are considered as same category in major design of nest architecture among eusocial wasps. Four nests of V. koreensis and three nests of V. simillima simillima were examined. The nest of V. simillima simillima was 3.26 times bigger than that of V. koreensis, and nest envelope of V. simillima simillima was 1.3 times thicker than that of V. koreensis. The comb of V. koreensis contained 2.4 times more cells than that of V. simillima simillima: on average 647 cells vs. 269 cells within a comb. On the whole, mean diameter of the cell was almost two times greater in V. simillima simillima: 4.7mm vs. 8.9mm. In V. simillima simillima, cell size was bigger in larger comb. More vigorous researches should be done on life history traits of V. koreensis, a Korean endemic species which is almost unknown, while social wasp population seems to be dramatically increasing in temperate regions.

Recombinant production and film properties of full-length hornet silk proteins

Full-length versions of the four main components of silk cocoons of Vespa simillima hornets, Vssilk1–4, were produced as recombinant proteins in Escherichia coli. In shake flasks, the recombinant Vssilk proteins yielded 160–330mg recombinant proteinl−1. Films generated from solutions of single Vssilk proteins had a secondary structure similar to that of films generated from native hornet silk. The films made from individual recombinant hornet silk proteins had similar or enhanced mechanical performance compared with films generated from native hornet silk, possibly reflecting the homogeneity of the recombinant proteins. The pH-dependent changes in zeta (ζ) potential of each Vssilk film were measured, and isoelectric points (pI) of Vssilk1–4 were determined as 8.9, 9.1, 5.0 and 4.2, respectively. The pI of native hornet silk, a combination of the four Vssilk proteins, was 4.7, a value similar to that of Bombyx mori silkworm silk. Films generated from Vssilk1 and 2 had net positive charge under physiological conditions and showed significantly higher cell adhesion activity. It is proposed that recombinant hornet silk is a valuable new material with potential for cell culture applications.

Cross-linking in the silks of bees, ants and hornets

Silk production is integral to the construction of nests or cocoons for many Aculeata, stinging Hymenopterans such as ants, bees and wasps. Here we report the sequences of new aculeate silk proteins and compare cross-linking among nine native silks from three bee species (Apis mellifera, Bombus terrestris and Megachile rotundata), three ant species (Myrmecia forficata, Oecophylla smaragdina and Harpegnathos saltator) and three hornets (Vespa analis, Vespa simillima and Vespa mandarinia). The well studied silks of spiders and silkworms are comprised of large proteins that are cross-linked and stabilized predominantly by intra and intermolecular beta sheet structure. In contrast, the aculeate silks are comprised of relatively small proteins that contain central coiled coil domains and comparatively reduced amounts of beta sheet structure. The hornet silks, which have the most beta sheet structure and the greatest amount of amino acid sequence outside the coiled-coil domains, dissolve in concentrated LiBr solution and appear to be stabilized predominantly by beta sheet structure like the classic silks. In contrast, the ant and bee silks, which have less beta sheet and less sequence outside the coiled-coil domains, could not be dissolved in LiBr and appear to be predominantly stabilized by covalent cross-linking. The iso-peptide cross-linker, ε-(γ-glutamyl)-lysine that is produced by transglutaminase enzymes, was demonstrated to be present in all silks by mass spectrometry, but at greater levels in silks of ants and bees. The bee silks and ant cocoons, but not the Oecophylla nest silks, appeared to be further stabilized by tanning reactions.

Release of juvenile nematodes at hibernation sites by overwintered queens of the hornet Vespa simillima

The nematode Sphaerulariavespae only parasitizes hornet queens and deprives them of fertility. To elucidate its transmission route, we observed the behavior of overwintered queens of Vespa simillima found around decayed logs of fallen trees—the principal hibernation sites for this species. We found that overwintered queens frequently visited those decayed logs in summer (late June to mid-August), hovering or walking on the surfaces of the logs, and sometimes entering holes or cracks there. These queens, unlike those visiting the hibernation sites in the fall, did not excavate wood to make their hibernacula, but often released juvenile nematodes there. In 25 % of the entries observed, we confirmed that juvenile nematodes had been released from the tips of the hornet’s gasters and thus transferred to the decayed logs. The timing of the host’s initial visit to decayed logs for nematode transmission corresponded well with the hatching of juveniles within the host’s body. These results suggest that the parasitic nematode manipulates its host to visit decayed logs in summer for its own transmission.

Sperm storage in the uterium of the insect-parasitic nematode Sphaerularia vespae (Nematoda: Sphaerulariidae)

The spermatheca found in the ‘uterium’ (highly transformed part of parasitic female) of the sphaerularioidid nematode Sphaerularia vespae, an endoparasite of a common Japanese hornet, Vespa simillima, was studied with TEM. The uterium consists of a thick trophic epithelium exposed to the insect haemocoel and a protective cavity which contains the female genital tube and storage cells (fat body). The uterium cavity contains the female reproductive system composed of the usual parts: uterus, oviduct and ovary. The genital pore of the young uterium is an opening of the short narrow uterine tube which joins to the voluminous spermatheca. The spermatheca is a dilated distal part of the uterus, storing numerous tiny spermatozoa. The spermatheca is blocked distally by the oviduct. The spermatozoa are uniform amoeboid cells only 1.4-1.6 μm in size with a highly condensed nucleus about 0.8 μm in size. The transparent sperm cytoplasm contains several mitochondria, small membranous organelles (specific organelles characteristic of nematode spermatozoa), occasional bundles of fibres and centriole-like bodies. The S. vespae spermatozoa are very similar to the spermatozoa stored in the uterus of infective females of another sphaerularioidid nematode, Deladenus sp., and have the main features of sperm found in many other rhabditid nematodes.

Chapter 4: Stinging insect allergy and venom immunotherapy

The Hymenoptera order is divided into three families: Apids, Vespidae, and Formicidae. Apids include the honeybee, bumblebee, and sweat bee, which are all docile and tend to sting mostly on provocation. The Africanized killer bee, a product of interbreeding between the domestic and African honeybee, is very aggressive and is found mostly in Mexico, Central America, Arizona, and California. The yellow jacket, yellow hornet, white (bald)-faced hornet, and paper wasp all belong to the Vespidae family. The Formicidae family includes the harvester ant and the fire ant. When a "bee" sting results in a large local reaction, defined as >5 in. and lasting >24 hours, the likelihood of anaphylaxis from a future sting is ∼5%. For comparison, when there is a history of anaphylaxis from a previous Hymenoptera sting and the patient has positive skin tests to venom, at least 60% of adults and 20-32% of children will develop anaphylaxis with a future sting. Both patient groups should be instructed about avoidance measures and carrying and knowing when to self-inject epinephrine, but immunotherapy (IT) with Hymenoptera venom is indicated for those patients with a history of anaphylaxis from the index sting and not for patients who have experienced a large local reaction. IT is highly effective in that by 4 years of injections, the incidence of subsequent sting-induced anaphylactic reactions is 3%. This incidence may increase modestly after discontinuation of injections but has not been reported >10% in follow-up.

Clinical Features and the Diagnostic Value of Component Allergen-Specific IgE in Hymenoptera Venom Allergy

PurposeAlthough patient history is vital for the diagnosis of hymenoptera venom allergy, specific IgE detection is also important to identify the culprit insect and monitor the effect of immunotherapy. We evaluated the diagnostic value of serum-specific IgE detection of hymenoptera venom component allergens and documented changes in allergen-specific IgE after immunotherapy.MethodsFifty-six hymenoptera venom allergy patients receiving venom immunotherapy were recruited from Ajou University Hospital, Korea. The clinical manifestations of the patients were noted, and serum-specific IgE detection was performed, using conventional venom extracts as well as component allergens. Data were analyzed retrospectively.ResultsA total of 35 (62.5%) patients were male, and 33 (73.3%) patients were atopic. The mean patient age was 44.9±13.8 years. Localized reactions occurred in 23.2% of patients, and systemic reactions occurred in 76.8%. The most common clinical manifestations included skin involvement, such as urticaria and angioedema, and respiratory involvement. Yellow jackets were the most frequent culprit insect, followed by yellow hornets, white-faced hornets, honeybees, and paper wasps, as determined at the time of diagnosis. Double sensitization to both Apidae and Vespidae species was detected in 70.9% of patients. The positive predictive values (PPV) of rVes v 5-specific and rPol d 5-specific IgE detection were 85.7% and 87.5%, respectively, which correlated well with conventional venom extract-specific IgE detection (r=0.762 and r=0.757, respectively). In contrast, the PPV of rApi m 1-specific IgE detection at the time of diagnosis was 34.8%. Three years of venom immunotherapy resulted in decreased venom-specific IgE, particularly IgE specific for Vespidae venom components.ConclusionsStings by yellow jackets and male sex may be risk factors for hymenoptera venom allergy in Korea. Vespidae component-specific IgE, but not Apidae component-specific IgE, had diagnostic and monitoring value in hymenoptera venom allergy comparable to that of conventional hymenoptera venom extract-specific IgE.

Identification of hornet silk gene with a characteristic repetitive sequence in Vespa simillima xanthoptera

Vssilk 5 is a gene encoding a component protein of the silk produced by the larvae of the yellow hornet (Vespa simillima, Vespinae, Vespidae). In this study, we deduced the complete cDNA sequence of Vssilk 5. It was found that 2 silk proteins, Vssilk 5 N and Vssilk 5 C, in the cocoon of the yellow hornet are both encoded by the Vssilk 5 gene. Vssilk 5 N and 5 C are the N- and C-terminal regions, respectively, of the Vssilk 5 pro-protein (Vssilk 5p). The complete amino acid sequences of Vssilk 5 N and Vssilk 5 C were deduced. Although a non-repetitive amino acid sequence and coiled-coil structure are properties common to the major components of silk proteins produced by the larvae of the social superfamilies Apoidea and Vespoidea of the Apocrita, nearly the entire sequence of Vssilk 5 C consisted of a repeated sequence of amino acids, and the calculated coiled-coil probability for this protein was low. Vssilk 5 N is a protein without a repetitive amino acid sequence and has a low coiled-coil probability. Moreover, we found a water soluble protein, Vssilk 5S that is likely segmented from Vssilk 5 C and contains an N-terminal sequence identical to that of Vssilk 5 C.

Drawing-Induced Changes in Morphology and Mechanical Properties of Hornet Silk Gel Films

Complete amino acid sequences of the four major proteins (Vssilk 1-4) of silk (hornet silk) obtained from yellow hornet ( Vespa simillima , Vespinae, Vespidae) cocoons have been determined. The native structure of the hornet silk (HS), in which Vssilk 1-4 have an alpha-helix domain with coiled-coil alpha-helices and a beta-sheet domain, is restored when hornet silk gel films (HSGFs) are formed by pressing and drying HS hydrogel. Necking occurs when dry HSGFs are drawn; however, wet HSGFs can be uniaxially drawn with a draw ratio (DR) of 2. Drawing helps obtain high-performance films with a maximum tensile strength and tensile modulus of 170 MPa and 5.5 GPa, respectively. Drawing-induced changes in the orientation and conformation of the coiled-coil structure are investigated.