Eosinophils

Hi,

My daughter has just had a result of 9 from her blood test. Although her gp said the normal level should be 4 she didnt seem unduly concerned.

Can anyone enlighten me more on these results.

Thanks

Mellers

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Hi Mellers,

Eosinophils are a particular type of white cells in the blood that are responsible for fighting parasitic infection, but can also drive asthma and allergies. They are often slightly high in allergic asthma, and are just another way of determining that someone is atopic - ie, an allergic sort of a person.

Hope this helps

Em H

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So if someone had no eosinophils at all would that mean they arent allergic??

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I'm not aware of any disease or condition in which eosinophils are totally absent, although I suppose bone marrow suppression that caused low levels of the other white cells would also cause low eosinophils.

A result of zero eosinophils is more likely to be a laboratory artifact - either because a machine cell counter has been used, which often don't register eosinophils, or because no eosinophils happen to have been seen on the blood smear that is done on that occasion - they only make up upto 3% of the white cells, so it's possible to have a blood smear that just happens not to have any in it.

I suppose if someone really did have no eosinophils, they would be less likely to be allergic - but eosinophils are not the whole story in the allergic process, so the allergy doesn't have to be eosinophil driven. Other white cells called basophils and mast cells are also involved, releasing histamine and other pro-inflammatory substances in response to allergens.

I should also add that although the eosinophil count is a little raised in asthma, if it is very raised, it can be suggestive of other conditions. Allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis, Churg Strauss syndrome and hypereosinophilic vasculitis are all forms of chest disease that can cause very high eosinophil counts, and they require different tests and treatment than asthma. Another cause of high eosinophils is tropical hypereosinophilia, which is caused by a parasitic infection, and, as the name suggests, is usually only contracted in tropical countries.

Hope this makes sense!

Em

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eosinophils

Hi,

My daughter has recently had a blood test for broncho aspergilliotis so we are just waiting for the results. I wonder if anyone has had a positive result and what treatment you were given.

Thanks

Mellers

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Hi mellers,

I think several people already answered this one when you asked in the thread called 'aspergillus' - I know I wrote quite a long and comprehensive answer.

I'm not sure whether anyone else has much more to add, or I expect they would have chipped in when you asked before. You can find more information at the excellent website aspergillus.org.uk

Hope this helps

Em H