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The Imported Fire Ant: The US Experience

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Stinging Insect Allergy

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Abstract

Referrals for imported fire ant (IFA) hypersensitivity account for the majority of referrals to venom clinics in endemic areas in the USA. Since importation into the USA almost 100 years ago, the IFA (Solenopsis invicta, the red IFA, and Solenopsis richteri, the black IFA) have expanded to both coasts of the USA as they wreak havoc upon the people and agriculture of the southern parts of the nation. With high annual sting attack rates among those dwelling in endemic sites, rapid identification and treatment of those with hypersensitivity is critical. Immunotherapy with IFA whole-body extract is safe and effective. Both conventional and rush schedules have been utilized to achieve maintenance therapy doses similar to therapy seen with the flying Hymenoptera. This chapter provides information about IFA and the evaluation and management of those individuals experiencing hypersensitivity reactions to IFA stings.

The views expressed are those of the authors and do not reflect the official views or policy of the Department of Defense or its Components.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. The University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, USA

    Mike Tankersley M.D.

  2. Department of Allergy and Immunology, San Antonio Uniformed Services Health Education Consortium, Wilford Hall Ambulatory Surgical Center, San Antonio, TX, USA

    Daniel Steigelman M.D.

Authors
  1. Mike Tankersley M.D.
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  2. Daniel Steigelman M.D.
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Correspondence to Daniel Steigelman M.D. .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. San Antonio Allergy and Asthma Clinic, San Antonio, Texas, USA

    Theodore M. Freeman

  2. Allergy, Asthma & Immunology Associates P.C., Omaha, Nebraska, USA

    James M. Tracy

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Tankersley, M., Steigelman, D. (2017). The Imported Fire Ant: The US Experience. In: Freeman, T., Tracy, J. (eds) Stinging Insect Allergy. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-46192-2_11

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-46192-2_11

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