How deadly are bees? According to this piece in the New York Times, they kill more people each year in the United States than any other animal–with the exception, of course, of human animals. One big reason for that, the Times explains, is that when people who are allergic to bee stings go to the hospital for life-saving treatment, they don’t get it. The Times refers to a study published in the September issue of The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology that found that only 13 percent of patients with insect sting allergies who show up at hospitals with anaphylaxis or less severe systemic reactions were treated immediately with epinephrine, as is recommended. Another 27 percent left with the proper prescription, and 20 percent got referrals. The study found that of 259 patients who showed up with systemic reactions, only 6 received all the recommended interventions. The moral? Not so much that we BEEware of bees, but that we BEE quick and BEE directive if we get stung, react badly, and seek medical care. Read more in the Times.
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