Journal of Pharmaceutical Research
DOI: 10.18579/jopcr/v25.i2.175
Year: 2026, Volume: 25, Issue: 2, Pages: 106-107
Case Report
Sagarika Basavaraj1*, Anita Basavaraj2, Ganesh Pentewar3
1Junior Resident, Department of Pharmacology, MAAER’S MIT Pune’s MIMER Medical College and Dr B.S.T.R Hospital, Pune, Maharashtra, India
2Professor, Department of Medicine, Sassoon Hospital, B.J Government Medical College, Pune, Maharashtra, India
3Professor and HOD, Department of Pharmacology, MAAER’S MIT Pune’s MIMER Medical College and Dr B.S.T.R Hospital, Pune, Maharashtra, India
*Corresponding Author
Email: [email protected]
A 27-year-old female presented with an acute exaggerated local allergic reaction following an ant bite on the left hand, localized initially between the third and fourth interdigital spaces on the dorsum. Within a few hours, she developed progressive swelling involving the entire hand, associated with erythema, warmth, tenderness, and intense pruritus. She had a known history of hypersensitivity to ant bites without previous systemic or anaphylactic manifestations. Clinical examination revealed diffuse edema and localized inflammatory signs without systemic involvement. The patient was treated with oral fexofenadine, hydroxyzine, a short course of systemic corticosteroids, and adjunctive anti-edematous therapy. Significant clinical improvement was observed within 72 hours, with complete resolution by day seven. This report highlights the importance of early recognition and appropriate pharmacological management of large local allergic reactions to insect bites to prevent functional impairment and secondary complications.
Keywords: Ant bite allergy, Large local reaction, Antihistamines, Corticosteroids, Hypersensitivity
1. Smith M, Lee A. Allergic responses to insect bites: clinical patterns and management. <I>Clinics in Dermatology</I>. 2021;39(4):560-7.
2. Kumar P, Rao S. Hypersensitivity reactions to insect venom in tropical regions. <I>Indian Journal of Allergy and Immunology</I>. 2020;34(2):89-95.
3. Patel G, Sharma N. Prevalence of allergic bite reactions in Indian adults. <I>Journal of Clinical Medicine Research</I>. 2022;14(3):155-61.
4. Li J, Fernandez R. Composition and immunologic effects of ant venom. <I>Toxicon</I>. 2020;176:32-8.
5. Bansal R, Mehta R. Management of large local reactions to insect stings. <I>Allergy and Asthma Proceedings</I>. 2021;42(5):386-92.
6. Brown S. Antihistamines in acute allergic reactions. <I>Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology</I>. 2021;147(2):441-7.
7. McLean J, Walker P. Use of corticosteroids in extensive insect-bite reactions. <I>Journal of Emergency Medicine</I>. 2020;58(1):45-51.
8. Roy A, Thomas J. Anti-inflammatory role of proteolytic enzymes in edema management. <I>International Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Research</I>. 2021;12(7):3500-6.
9. Chen R, Davis S. Microvascular complications in localized inflammatory edema. <I>Vascular Medicine</I>. 2022;27(1):72-9.
10. Sharma A, Gupta P. Importance of reporting insect-bite hypersensitivity cases. <I>Journal of Dermatological Case Reports</I>. 2023;17(2):50-5.
© 2026 Published by Krupanidhi College of Pharmacy. This is an open-access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)
Subscribe now for latest articles and news.
