A specific type of white blood cell, having a high number of eosinophils, is called eosinophilia. It can be caused by nasal allergy or more serious conditions, such as cancer. Its presence can be revealed through blood testing.

What Are Eosinophilia?

Eosinophilia is a condition in which the quantity of eosinophils in the blood is excessively high. The white blood cells are an essential component of the cellular immune system. Eosinophils are white blood cells that are a part of the cellular immune system. They help with normal physiologic processes and host immunity, as well as allergic reactions and parasite infection resistance.

When there are more than 500 eosinophils per microliter, eosinophilia is considered to occur, though the exact cutoff varies by laboratory. Eosinophilia can be mild, moderate, or can even be severe. Usually, less than 5% of the circulating white blood cells are eosinophils.

What Does a High Eosinophil Count Mean?

An eosinophil absolute count can help to diagnose the conditions. People can have a high count during the following medical conditions:

Acute hypereosinophilic syndrome
An allergic disorder like asthma or high fever
Autoimmune conditions
An adverse reaction to certain medications
Early stages of Cushing’s disease
Eczema (itchy, inflamed skin)
Leukemia and other blood disorders

What Does a Low Eosinophil Count Mean?

A lower than normal eosinophil count could be because:

Consumption of too much alcohol
Body is making too much of certain steroids, such as cortisol

Diagnosis:

During eosinophilia blood test, elevated peripheral blood eosinophils can be detected. The doctor may prescribe additional tests depending on the causes. Other tests to consider are:

After your doctor has outlined the causes of your excess gas by reviewing your symptoms and medical history, he or she may perform one or more of these tests to see what is going on in your digestive tract:

Liver function tests
Chest X-rays
Urine tests
Further blood tests
Tissue and bone marrow biopsies
Stool sample testing

Treatment

The treatment depends on the underlying cause of the problem. Treatments might include stopping certain medications (in the case of any medical reactions), avoiding certain foods (in the case of esophagitis), or taking an anti-infective or anti-inflammatory medication. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved therapies that target eosinophils in asthma, and they are now being used in clinics, while treatments for other eosinophil-mediated illnesses are still being investigated.

The result is affected by treating the cause of high eosinophil levels. In critical cases, the outcomes also depend on the extent of target organs and how the person responds to treatment.

Citations

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5293177/

https://www.cincinnatichildrens.org/service/c/eosinophilic-disorders/conditions/eosinophilia

https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2017.00484/full

https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/JAHA.118.011450

https://refugeehealthta.org/physical-mental-health/health-conditions/infectious-diseases/parasites/eosinophilia/

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What happens if eosinophil count is high?

If eosinophil count is high, it indicates that the body is producing eosinophils to fight against the virus, bacteria and parasites.

2. What cancers cause high eosinophils?

Eosinophilia can be developed due to certain cancers, including:

Lymphoma

Leukemia

Colorectal cancer

Lung cancer

3. Does eosinophils increase in Covid?

COVID-19 patients with critical disease reported lower eosinophil levels than those with moderate or severe disease.

4. What is the most likely cause of high eosinophil counts?

The most common cause of high eosinophil counts is a parasite infection. These infections include schistosomiasis, trichinosis, strongyloidiasis, and ascariasis.

5. What foods increase eosinophils?

Dairy products, eggs, soy, and wheat are some of the recognised foods that increase eosinophil count.