Eosinophilia is an increased number of eosinophils (eosinophils) in the peripheral blood. Eosinophilia can be mild, moderate or severe, primary or secondary. How many eosinophils indicate eosinophilia? What are its causes and symptoms? What is Hypereosinophilic Syndrome?
You don't have time to read? Sometimes it is enough to Listen Well. Check out our advice podcasts!
Eosinophiliameans an increased number of eosinophils in the peripheral blood - it occurs when their number exceeds 0.5 x 109 / l. Eosinophilia can be of various stages. And this is how it is distinguished:
- mild eosinophilia-<1,5 x 109/l
- moderate eosinophilia- 1.5-5.0 x 109 / l
- severe eosinophilia->5.0 x 109 / l
This is not the only division of eosinophilia. There may also beprimary eosinophiliaandsecondary (reactive) eosinophilia , which most often occurs and is observed in many diseases, such as parasite infections, allergies , asthma or collagen diseases.
Among primary eosinophilia,clonal eosinophiliaandidiopathic eosinophiliaare distinguished. Clonal eosinophilia is caused by neoplastic growth, more precisely by lymphoproliferation or myeloproliferation. In the case of idiopathic eosinophilia - diagnosed after excluding clonal and secondary eosinophilia.
Check:
Eosinophils (eosinocytes, EOS): norms
What tasks do eosinophils have?
As for the eosinophils themselves (or eosinophils) - these are cells that belong to leukocytes (white blood cells).
They are present in the peripheral blood in the amount of 0.04-0.5 x 109 / l, but they usually stay in it for a short time, as they travel to tissues and organs in contact with the external environment.
Eosinophils have a characteristic spectacle-like nucleus and brick-red granules that contain, among others, the main basic protein, cationic eosinophilic proteins and eosinophilic neurotoxin - these compounds are toxic to parasites.
It comes as no surprise then that the main role of eosinophils is to defend the body against parasitic infections. In addition, they participate in the immune response, and also exhibit repair and remodeling functions by regulating the deposition ofmatrix proteins.
Eosinophilia: causes
Causes of secondary eosinophilia include:
- parasitic infections (tapeworm, human roundworm, echinococcus, trichinella, intestinal nematode)
- non-parasitic infections (recovery from acute infection, cat scratch disease, fungal infections - aspergillosis, infectionCryptococcusandCoccidiomycosis )
- allergic or idiopathic diseases (atopic dermatitis, urticaria, allergic rhinitis, bronchial asthma, Quincke's angioedema, sarcoidosis, Löffler's syndrome, Churg-Strauss syndrome, eosinophilic pneumonia)
- connective tissue diseases (polyarteritis nodosa, eosinophilic fasciitis, serum sickness)
- immune disorders (IgA deficiency, GVHD - Graft Versus Host Disease - graft versus recipient disease, Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome)
- neoplastic diseases (Hodgkin's disease, T-cell lymphomas, acute myelomonocytic leukemia, eosinophilic leukemia, neoplastic metastases)
- endocrinopathies (e.g. Addison's disease)
- drug (carbamazepine, sulfonamides, gold s alts, purine analogues, growth factors)
Hypereosinophilic syndrome
Finally, it is worth mentioning the existence of the so-called hypereosinophilic syndrome. It is characterized by a steadily increased number of eosinophils (>1.5 x 109 / l) over a period of more than 6 months in the absence of a specific cause, and organ damage due to infiltration with eosinophils. Symptoms are: In addition, the following may occur: Additionally, the examination of the patient shows splenomegaly and / or hepatomegaly. Read also: Neutropenia (low neutrophil count) Lymphopenia (low lymphocyte count) Leukopenia (low leukocyte count) Thrombocytopenia or Thrombocytopenia