Which statement best reflects what can be concluded from a reduction in local reactions in some beekeepers?
- It guarantees long-term protection against severe systemic reactions.
- It is a reliable indicator of an individual’s future risk.
- It can be observed without constituting a guarantee of long-term protection or a reliable indicator of future risk.
- It proves that natural exposure is equivalent to venom immunotherapy (VIT).
Show answer
Correct answer: 3
Explanation: A reduction in local reactions or an apparent tolerance may occur with experience, but this does not allow one to infer long-term protection against systemic reactions. The absence of a reaction after previous stings does not reliably predict the absence of a future reaction, as the immune response to bee venom can change over time. The confusion often arises from the implicit assumption “fewer visible symptoms = lower risk”, even though this equivalence is neither obvious nor demonstrated. The other options are incorrect because they turn a common observation (less pronounced local reactions) into a guarantee or into proof of equivalence with immunotherapy.
See also:
► Bee stings, allergic risk and development of tolerance