Eosinophilia is the formation and accumulation of an abnormally high number of eosinophils (a type of white blood cell) in the blood or body tissues. Eosinophils are created in the bone marrow and are found in the bloodstream and the gut lining. They contain proteins that help the body fight infection from parasitic organisms, such as worms. On an average around 5% to 7% of white blood cells constitute eosinophils but if you have a higher count then it means that you either have borderline eosinophilia or actual progressing eosinophilia that can cause significant health hazards.

Causes

Eosinophilia occurs as a result of other conditions, particularly allergic diseases such as Asthma-Adult and Allergic Rhinitis. Other causes include:

• Lung diseases, such as Loffler’s syndrome
• Vasculitis (eg, Churg-Strauss syndrome)
• Some tumors
• Liver Cirrhosis
• Some antibody deficiencies
• Rare skin disease, such as dermatitis herpetiformis
• Unknown causes, labeled hypereosinophilic syndrome

Risk Factors

The following factors increase your chances of developing eosinophilia:

• Allergic rhinitis or hay fever
• Food Allergy
• Dermatitis herpetiformis
• Vasculitis
• Prescription drug side effects
• Parasitic infection
• Cirrhosis
• Asthma
• Eczema
• Hodgkin’s Lymphoma
• Adult Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma

Symptoms

Eosinophilia due to asthma

• Wheezing
• Breathlessness

Eosinophilia due to parasitic infection

• Abdominal pain
• Diarrhea
• Fever
• Cough
• Rashes

Eosinophilia due to medicine reaction

• Skin rashes
• Rarer symptoms of eosinophilia
• Weight loss
• Night sweats
• Lymph node enlargement
• Skin rashes
• Numbness and tingling due to nerve damage