Christine was riding her bicycle when a yellow jacket flew into her helmet and stung her on the forehead. There was immediate pain, redness, and local swelling. She iced the wound and applied a topical hydrocortisone cream when she got home and then ingested 50 mg of diphenhydramine hydrochloride (and antihistamine. The next day, her forehead was extremely painful. Concerned, she went tot he doctor and was given a cortisone injection to relieve the swelling. Given the following information regarding the contents of yellow jacket venom, explain the reactions that took place and why Christine (and the doctor) used the treatments described. Note: Yellow jacket venom contains the enzyme hyaluronidase (allows the spread of other venom components), phospholipase A2 (and other phospholipases), and a proteins termed antigen 5.
0 comments