Anaphylaxis to Australian native ant venoms; major allergens, cross-reactivity, diagnosis and risk assessment.

在这个国家，昆虫毒液过敏是威胁生命的过敏(过敏反应)的主要原因，在一些地区，本地蚂蚁是最常见的原因。对于引进的昆虫(蜜蜂和黄蜂)，毒液提取物广泛用于诊断和治疗，但对本地蚂蚁来说还不是这样。多达50,000名澳大利亚人可能对本土蚂蚁属蚂蚁的叮咬过敏。该项目将提供对澳大利亚导致过敏反应的蚂蚁物种的深入了解。我们将开发一系列诊断测试模块，详细的国家致病物种地图，以及一组参考毒液和过敏血清，以确保准确的诊断测试，从而提供高质量的毒液提取物供人类使用(免疫治疗)。我们还将对过敏志愿者进行长达五年的研究，以确定哪些人被反复叮咬和反应的风险最高，从而最有可能从脱敏中受益。目前的证据表明，本地昆虫毒液过敏的最常见原因可能是跳跃蚂蚁Myrmecia Pilosula，针对这种蚂蚁，已经开发出一种脱敏毒液提取物，并被证明在预防危及生命的反应方面非常有效。本申请中描述的研究将使医生能够确保准确的诊断，这是对杰克跳线过敏提供脱敏治疗之前的关键步骤。另一大群人可能对被称为牛狗蚁或英寸蚁的较大的Myrmecia过敏。我们关于交叉反应模式和毒液相似性的结果将使我们能够确定牛、狗、蚂蚁毒液的最佳治疗混合物，从而使我们能够为对这些蚂蚁过敏的人提供治疗。

Insect venom allergy is a major cause of life-threatening allergy (anaphylaxis) in this country, and native ants are the most frequent cause in some regions. For introduced insects (bees and wasps), venom extracts are widely available for diagnostic and therapeutic use, but this is not yet the case for native ants. As many as 50,000 Australians may be affected by allergy to stings from ants in the native genus Myrmecia. This project will provide an in-depth understanding of the ant species responsible for anaphylaxis in Australia. We will develop a range of diagnostic test modules, a detailed national map of causative species, and a panel of reference venoms and allergic sera, so that accurate diagnostic tests can be assured, and so that high quality venom extracts can be provided for human use (immunotherapy). We will also study allergic volunteers for up to five years, so as to determine which people are at the highest risk of repeated stings and reactions and thus most likely to benefit from desensitisation. Current evidence suggests that the commonest cause of native insect venom allergy may be the jack jumper ant Myrmecia pilosula, for which a desensitising venom extract has been developed and shown to be highly effective in preventing life threatening reactions. The research described in this application will enable doctors to ensure an accurate diagnosis, which is an essential step before desensitising treatment can be offered for jack jumper allergy. Another large group of people are probably allergic to larger Myrmecia known as bull dog ants or inch ants. Our results with regard to cross-reactivity patterns and venom similarities will enable us to determine an optimum therapeutic mixture of bull dog ant venoms and thus enable us to provide treatment for people allergic to these ants as well.