A 60-Year-Old Man Suffers 250 Stings, Likely from Aggressive Killer Bees.
John Fischer, a 60-year-old man from Arizona, was attacked by a swarm of bees while taking his pet dog outside. Fischer, who is in a wheelchair, was unable to escape when his wheelchair tipped over. At the hospital, doctors found over 250 bee stingers in Fischer’s body. He has since been discharged and is recovering, as reported by Live Science on May 31.
Killer bees (Africanized bees) collecting pollen in the Mojave Desert. (Photo: Wikimedia)
Reports indicate that killer bees, also known as Africanized bees, are likely responsible for the incident. Killer bees were first bred by a Brazilian scientist who attempted to combine the high honey production of European honeybees with the warm climate adaptability of African honeybees, according to the Natural History Museum in London.
A recent study published in the journal Clinical Case Reports estimated that 50 to 500 bee stings at once can be fatal to an adult. However, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) estimates a higher threshold, around 1,100 stings for adults and 500 for children, based on the understanding that an average person can tolerate 10 stings per pound (0.45 kg) of body weight. According to this data, Fischer’s approximately 250 stings may still be below the fatal threshold.
John Fischer, who suffered over 250 bee stings. (Photo: KTVK/KPHO).
Fischer is not the first person to survive such a dangerous encounter. In 2014, a worker in Texas was stung by about 1,000 killer bees and survived. That same year, a 71-year-old woman was attacked by a swarm of 80,000 killer bees and survived after sustaining around 1,000 stings.
However, some individuals have not been as fortunate during similar attacks. For instance, a 23-year-old pedestrian died from 1,000 stings in Arizona in 2016.
For those allergic to bee stings, the immune response can be severe and affect the entire body, leading to anaphylactic shock and death. Numerous studies indicate that body weight, immune status, and age influence an individual’s reaction to bee stings. According to Boston Children’s Hospital, individuals over 25 years old who are allergic to bee stings are more likely to experience anaphylactic shock after being stung, partly due to the possibility that allergic reactions to venom can worsen with cumulative stings.
Common non-allergic reactions to bee stings include swelling, pain, and redness at the sting site. In contrast, allergic reactions may include hives, nausea, dizziness, abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea, low blood pressure, and swelling in areas not affected by the sting, according to the USDA. Seattle Children’s Hospital states that the main signs of anaphylactic shock are hives accompanied by difficulty breathing and swallowing.
Killer bees, also known as Africanized bees, migrated from Brazil northward through South America and Central America to the United States. Over the years, their aggressive behavior combined with a tendency to swarm and sting in groups has made them infamous, earning them the nickname “killer bees.” However, contrary to popular belief, their venom is not stronger than that of European honeybees.
In some cases, even a single bee sting can be deadly. In 2009, Ray Shaw, former chairman of Dow Jones, died after being stung by an unidentified bee in his garage. Nevertheless, a single sting from any bee, including killer bees, is rarely fatal.
Each year, about 3% of people stung by insects experience anaphylactic shock— a severe reaction that can be life-threatening. Anaphylaxis can occur in individuals who know they are allergic to bee stings as well as those who do not. According to a 2019 report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), from 2000 to 2017, there were an average of 62 deaths annually from wasp, hornet, and bee stings in the U.S. A recent survey by YouGov found that up to 75% of Americans have been stung by a bee at some point. Therefore, fatalities from bee stings are quite rare.
