What is eosinophilia?
Eosinophilia is a condition in which the eosinophil cell count exceeds the normal limit which is 0.45×109 in the peripheral blood. Eosinophils are one of the five major types of disease-fighting white blood cells.
Eosinophils circulate in the blood when their levels are high but high eosinophil concentrations may also occur at the site of an infection or inflammation. Eosinophils are a type of white blood cell. They contain particles which are filled with chemicals that help to fight the infection and play a major role in the immune mechanism of the body.
In normal conditions of the body, eosinophils don’t have a large number. The body produces more of the eosinophils in response to some infections, allergic disorders, inflammation of the skin parasitic infections or in cases of some bone marrow disorders. There are some conditions in which eosinophils move outside the bloodstream and enter other organs and tissues. Term eosinophilia is also defined as the increase of eosinophilic leukocytes in peripheral blood to more than 600 cells per microliter (µL) of blood. If the count of eosinophils in the peripheral blood is more than 1500 cells per microlitre and when this condition lasts for many months then it is termed as a hypereosinophilic syndrome.
There are two major roles of eosinophils in the immune system and they are as follows: Destruction of foreign substances
Eosinophils can engulf foreign substances and they engulf substances related to infection due to a parasite.
Inflammation regulation: Eosinophils help to promote inflammation and thereby plays a very important and useful role in controlling the disease site.
What are the causes of eosinophilia?
There are specific diseases and conditions which are responsible for the rise of eosinophil numbers in the blood and those are as follows:-
• Asthma.
• Ascariasis.
• Atopic dermatitis.
• Crohn’s disease.
• Eosinophilic leukemia.
• Lupus.
• Lymphatic filariasis.
• Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.
• Ovarian cancer
• Scarlet fever
• Chronic myelogenous leukemia
• Churg-strauss syndrome.
• Drug allergy.
• Hay fever.
• Hodgkin’s lymphoma
• Trichinosis
• Ulcerative colitis
• Cholesterol embolism.
• Coccidioidomycosis.
• Interstitial nephropathy
• Ulcerative colitis.
• Primary immunodeficiency
• Parasitic infections such as Ascariasis Trichinosis.
• Schistosomiasis.
• Fascioliasis, Paragonimiasis.
• Visceral larva migrans.
• Strongyloidiasis.
• Gnasthostomiasis.
• Neoplasia Human T-cell lymphotropic virus (HTLV-1).
• Adult T-cell leukemia.
• Gastric and lung carcinoma.
What are the symptoms of eosinophilia?
Symptoms of eosinophilia are usually that of the underlying cause-
• Eosinophilia due to asthma is marked by following symptoms such as shortness of breath, and wheezing.
• In cases of parasitic infections the symptoms that are associated are as follows pain in the abdomen, diarrhoea, fever, cough or rashes.
• When eosinophilia rises due to allergic reaction then symptoms are associated are rashes, itching.
• Rare symptoms associated with eosinophilia are weight loss, night sweats, lymph node enlargement, skin rashes, and sensation of numbness and tingling.
Is eosinophilia curable?
Treatment is directed toward the cause behind this problem. However, in primary eosinophilia, or if the eosinophil count is reduced, corticosteroids such as prednisone may be used. However, immune suppression, the mechanism of action of corticosteroids, can be fatal in patients with the condition of parasitosis.
Do high eosinophils mean cancer?
Elevated eosinophil levels may occur in rare blood cancers. Eosinophils are white blood cells that help to fight parasitic infections. Elevated levels of eosinophil also can occur in certain allergic diseases, autoimmune diseases, and cancer.
Can food allergies cause high eosinophils?
The presence of a large number of eosinophils in the oesophagus may result from a food allergy reaction, acid reflux or airborne allergens, which can contribute to inflammation or injury to the oesophagal tissue. However, seasonal variation in patients with food-induced EoE can be seen as high as 25 per cent of the patients.
What is the treatment for eosinophilia?
Treatment depends upon the cause involved in producing the condition of eosinophilia. The medications that are helpful in lowering the eosinophilic levels are as follows
• Corticosteroids such as prednisone are used. Surgeries for tumours are conducted depending on the site of the tumor.
