Abstract

ALEMAN NAVAS, Ramón Manuel; MARTINEZ MENDOZA, María Guadalupe; HERRERA, Henry  and  HERRERA, Helen Piccolo de. Floor of the nose mucosa lysis and labial abscess caused by a bee sting. Braz. Dent. J. [online]. 2009, vol.20, n.3, pp. 249-253. ISSN 0103-6440.  http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S0103-64402009000300014.

Hymenoptera order includes bees, which have a stinging apparatus at the tail capable of delivering venom to the affected tissues. Myocardial infarction, acute renal failure, Necrotizing fasciitis, fatal infection and hemifacial asymmetry, are some of the unusual reactions reported following hymenoptera stings. This paper reports a case of bee sting in the right floor of the nose that mimicked an odontogenic infection affecting the upper lip, canine space and nasal cavity such as in cases of infection secondary to pulpal or periodontal pathology of the anterior teeth. After a thorough clinical and radiographic examination, odontogenic infection was discarded and the diagnosis of floor of the nose mucosal lysis and lip abscess secondary to a bee sting was made. This case was successfully managed with adequate incision, drainage and antibiotics without any further complication. There are several reports of unusual reactions following hymenoptera stings. However, just a few of them referred to infections of local reactions and none of them related to the anatomic location affected in the patient of the present case. Early diagnosis and treatment prevented infection dissemination and the likelihood of tissue necrosis as in previously reported cases of Necrotizing fasciitis.

Keywords : hymenoptera; bees; venom; odontogenic infection; unusual reactions.