HNY Policy and Pathway Repository - North Yorkshire

Eosinophilia is a peripheral eosinophil count greater than the upper limit of normal range, usually around 0.50 x 10⁹/L.

None provided

Causes

• Asthma / atopic dermatitis / acute urticarial
• Infections: especially those due to parasites (most commonly helminthes - hookworm, schistosomiasis - but also giardiasis or other protozoal infections and strongyloides)
• Drugs (penicillin, carbamazepine, sulphonamides are common but any drug is a possible cause)
• Connective tissue disease (rheumatoid arthritis, polyarteritis nodosa, Wegener's granulomatosis)
• Solid malignancy (breast, renal and lung cancer)
• Respiratory disease (Churg-Strauss syndrome, bronchiectasis, cystic fibrosis)
• Myeloproliferative disorders

If eosinophils >1.5x10⁹/L repeat FBC in 2 weeks and look for causes if >1.5 (such as IgE level, autoimmune Screen, stool cultures)

• If secondary cause found, treat as appropriate
• If no cause found:
  • If 1.5 - 5.0 and persistent for 3 months - refer routinely to Haematology
  • If >5.0 x 10⁹/L - refer urgently to Haematology

• Harrogate and District