A person may accidentally swallow a bee or wasp that has been attracted to a soft drink or sweet dessert. Sometimes nothing happens. At other times the person may have an allergic reaction to the insect or be stung in the mouth or throat.
A person who swallows a bee or wasp:
(1) The person ingests something left open outside or near an open window during warm weather.
(2) The person may notice that something is in the food or drink ingested.
(3) A person who is stung in the mouth or throat may have:
(3a) sudden onset of pain in the tongue, roof of mouth or throat
(3b) sudden onset of swelling involving the head and neck that may compromise the airway
(4) If the person has an allergy to bees or wasps then the person may develop a rash or other allergic reaction, including anaphylaxis.
The diagnosis requires exclusion of other possible diagnoses (foreign debris, peanut allergy, etc).
Less often a person riding a motorcycle or driving in a car may have a bee or wasp fly into their mouth.
To read more or access our algorithms and calculators, please log in or register.
