Eosinophilia is a health condition marked by an abnormally high count of eosinophils. High numbers of this white blood cell may be detected in your blood or tissue.
Eosinophils are part of your immune system, which are designed to destroy foreign invaders and promote inflammation to isolate and control them from spreading. However, a high concentration of this leukocyte recruited to a site for too long can cause damage to healthy tissue.
Blood eosinophilia is usually found as part of a blood count test. Tissue eosinophilia may be uncovered via tissue or fluid (e.g. nasal mucus) samples.
A variety of health conditions can cause eosinophilia, particularly:
- toxins
- tumors
- asthma
- allergies
- hay fever
- food allergy
- drug allergy
- scarlet fever
- adrenal conditions
- endocrine disorders
- skin disorders ~ eczema
- Churg-Strauss syndrome
- primary immunodeficiency
- autoimmune disease ~ lupus
- cancers ~ leukemia, lymphoma, ovarian
- digestive disorder ~ Crohn’s disease, colitis
- parasite infection ~ ascariasis, trichinosis, lymphatic filariasis
Hypereosinophilic syndrome is a persistent high count of eosinophils for no apparent reason.
Taking certain drugs can cause a high eosinophil count as well, for instance:
- interferon
- tranquilizers
- amphetamines
- some antibiotics
- psyllium laxatives
Because another condition or medication is frequently the cause of eosinophilia, treatment of that condition or stopping the medication usually resolves your high eosinophil count issue.
