Eosinophilic (pronounced ee-oh-sin-oh-fill-ik) diseases are often misdiagnosed because symptoms can mimic more common diseases.

Eosinophilic diseases are associated with excessive numbers of a certain type of pro-inflammatory white blood cell called Eosinophils. 

While the number of eosinophils circulating in your body can vary from time to time, typically in a healthy person, they would make up less than 5% of the many types of white blood cells. 

There are multiple causes for raised eosinophil levels in the blood or tissues including, diseases caused by parasites, allergic disorders, endocrine disorders and gastro conditions such as parasitic infections, reflux (GERD) and Crohns/IBD etc.  

When a raised eosinophil count is found in your digestive system (oesophagus, stomach or intestine/bowel), tissues, blood or other organs without a known cause/diagnosis, further consideration should be given to eosinophilic - associated diseases. 

The precise diagnosis of an Eosinophilic disease depends on where in the body the raised levels of Eosinophils are found.

Find out about the different types of Eosinophilic diseases.

What causes Eosinophilic diseases?

Eosinophilic diseases are when the body wants to attack a substance it has been in contact with, such as an allergy-triggering food or airborne allergen. In defence, the eosinophils respond by breaking open(degranulating) and releasing their toxins. When you have too many eosinophils, the excess of toxins causes chronic inflammation, resulting in tissue damage.

It is not yet fully understood what causes your body to respond in this way, more research is needed. 

 

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Last updated 08/09/20 ©EOS Network 2020 All rights reserved