Bee Venom Does Not Reduce the Risk for Parkinson's Disease: Epidemiological Study among Beekeepers

Background Based on the promising results from preclinical studies, bee venom has been investigated as a neuroprotective agent in Parkinson's disease. Objective To assess if longstanding exposure to bee venom is associated with decreased risk for Parkinson's disease among beekeepers. Methods Questionnaire gathering information about diagnosis of Parkinson's disease and exposure to bee stings was posted to 6500 members of Slovenian beekeepers' organisation. Results We received 1298 responses (response rate 20.1%). Twenty beekeepers, all older than 60 years, were diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. The prevalence of Parkinson's disease in beekeepers aged >= 60 years was 3.9%, which is above the reported 0.6-1.3% prevalence of PD in this age group in European population. There was no difference in parameters reflecting bee venom exposure between beekeepers with and without Parkinson's disease. Conclusions Continuous exposure to bee venom does not affect neurodegeneration to the extent where it could prevent the expression of Parkinson's disease. (c) 2021 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society