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Test Code INSEC Stinging Insects Allergen Profile, Serum

Reporting Name

Stinging Insects Allergen Profile

Useful For

Establishing a diagnosis of an allergy to honeybee, yellow jacket, wasp, yellow faced hornet, and white-faced hornet venoms

 

Defining the allergen responsible for eliciting signs and symptoms

 

Identifying allergens:

-Responsible for allergic response and/or anaphylactic episode

-To confirm sensitization prior to beginning immunotherapy

-To investigate the specificity of allergic reactions to insect venom allergens, drugs, or chemical allergens

Profile Information

Test ID Reporting Name Available Separately Always Performed
HBV Honeybee Venom, IgE Yes Yes
YJV Yellow Jacket Venom, IgE Yes Yes
WSPV Wasp Venom, IgE Yes Yes
YFHV Yellow Faced Hornet Venom, IgE Yes Yes
WFHV White Faced Hornet Venom, IgE Yes Yes

Performing Laboratory

Mayo Clinic Laboratories in Rochester

Specimen Type

Serum


Ordering Guidance


For a listing of allergens available for testing, see Allergens - Immunoglobulin E (IgE) Antibodies.



Specimen Required


Collection Container/Tube:

Preferred: Serum gel

Acceptable: Red top

Submission Container/Tube: Plastic vial

Specimen Volume: 0.8 mL

Collection Instructions: Centrifuge and aliquot serum into a plastic vial.


Specimen Minimum Volume

For 1 allergen: 0.3 mL
For more than 1 allergen: (0.05 mL x number of allergens) + 0.25 mL deadspace

Specimen Stability Information

Specimen Type Temperature Time Special Container
Serum Refrigerated (preferred) 14 days
  Frozen  90 days

Reference Values

Class 

IgE kU/L 

Interpretation 

0 

<0.10 

Negative 

0/1 

0.10-0.34 

Borderline/equivocal 

1 

0.35-0.69 

Equivocal 

2 

0.70-3.49 

Positive 

3 

3.50-17.4 

Positive 

4 

17.5-49.9 

Strongly positive 

5 

50.0-99.9 

Strongly positive 

6 

≥100 

Strongly positive 

 

Reference values apply to all ages.

Day(s) Performed

Monday through Friday

Test Classification

This test has been cleared, approved, or is exempt by the US Food and Drug Administration and is used per manufacturer's instructions. Performance characteristics were verified by Mayo Clinic in a manner consistent with CLIA requirements.

CPT Code Information

86003 x 5

LOINC Code Information

Test ID Test Order Name Order LOINC Value
INSEC Stinging Insects Allergen Profile 94593-1

 

Result ID Test Result Name Result LOINC Value
HBV Honeybee Venom, IgE 6844-5
WFHV White Faced Hornet Venom, IgE 6280-2
WSPV Wasp Venom, IgE 13176-3
YFHV Yellow Faced Hornet Venom, IgE 6288-5
YJV Yellow Jacket Venom, IgE 6740-5

Clinical Information

Clinical manifestations of immediate hypersensitivity (allergic) diseases are caused by the release of proinflammatory mediators (histamine, leukotrienes, and prostaglandins) from IgE-sensitized effector cells (mast cells and basophils) when cell-bound IgE antibodies interact with an allergen.

 

In vitro serum testing for IgE antibodies provides an indication of the immune response to allergen that may be associated with allergic disease.

 

The allergens chosen for testing often depend upon the age of the patient, history of allergen exposure, season of the year, and clinical manifestations. In individuals predisposed to develop allergic disease, the sequence of sensitization and clinical manifestations proceed as follows: eczema and respiratory disease (rhinitis and bronchospasm) in infants and children younger than 5 years of age due to food sensitivity (milk, egg, soy, and wheat proteins) followed by respiratory disease (rhinitis and asthma) in older children and adults due to sensitivity to inhalant allergens (dust mite, mold, and pollen inhalants).

Interpretation

Detection of IgE antibodies in serum (class 1 or greater) indicates an increased likelihood of allergic disease as opposed to other etiologies and defines the allergens responsible for eliciting signs and symptoms.

 

The level of IgE antibodies in serum varies directly with the concentration of IgE antibodies expressed as a class score or kU/L.

Cautions

Testing for IgE antibodies is not useful in patients previously treated with immunotherapy to determine if residual clinical sensitivity exists, or in patients in whom the medical management does not depend upon identification of allergen specificity.

 

Some individuals with clinically insignificant sensitivity to allergens may have measurable levels of IgE antibodies in serum, and test results must be interpreted in the clinical context.

 

False-positive results for IgE antibodies may occur in patients with markedly elevated serum IgE (>2500 kU/L) due to nonspecific binding to allergen solid phases.

Report Available

Same day/1 day to 3 days

Reject Due To

Gross hemolysis OK
Gross lipemia OK

Method Name

Fluorescence Enzyme Immunoassay (FEIA)

Forms

If not ordering electronically, complete, print, and send an Allergen Test Request (T236) with the specimen.

Testing Algorithm

This profile includes testing for honeybee, yellow jacket, wasp, yellow faced hornet, and white-faced hornet venoms.