Many Children Stung by Fire Ants in Southeast U.S., According to New Study

A new study suggests that many children in the southeastern United States are stung by fire ants, as evidenced by signs of an immune system reaction to the fire ant venom. Although this can put them at risk for a potentially severe allergic reaction the next time they are stung, the prevalence of severe reactions in this group is very low.

Therefore, Dr. Megan E. Partridge of the Medical College of Georgia in Augusta and colleagues suggest that physicians practicing in this area need to be careful when interpreting antibody test results in children who don't have a history of severe allergic reaction, also referred to as anaphylaxis, following a fire ant sting.

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