White blood cells (WBC) are a vital part of our immune system. Eosinophils are one of five types of WBCs found in the human body; all are produced by the bone marrow. Eosinophils account for less than 7% of all circulating white blood cells and have two distinct functions: they destroy invading germs and create an inflammatory response, particularly if an allergy is involved. A healthcare professional may recommend an eosinophil count if you’ve already had a blood differential test and the results were abnormal. Specifically, an eosinophil count may be useful in the diagnoses of the following:
- An allergic reaction
- Infection by a parasite
- Cushing’s disease (a disorder caused by too much of the steroid hormone cortisol).
A low number of eosinophils do not usually cause problems as other parts of the immune system can compensate adequately. It may be caused by:
- Cushing’s disease
- Bloodstream infection (sepsis)
- Treatment with corticosteroids
- Alcohol intoxication
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Eosinophilia (a unusually high number of eosinophils in the blood) is linked to a variety of disorders, including:
- Allergic disease
- Parasitic infection
- Asthma
- Autoimmune disease
- Cancers of the blood, such as Leukemia and Hodgkin lymphoma
There are some medications known to cause an increase in eosinophil count, including:
- Some antibiotics
- Tranquilizers
- Appetite suppressants
- Laxatives that contain psyllium
- Interferon, a drug used to treat infection
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Atypical Lymphocytes, Band Neutrophils (%), Basophils (Absolute), Basophils (Percent), Eosinophils "Eos" (Absolute), Eosinophils "Eos" (Percent), Lymphocytes "Lymphs" (Absolute), Lymphocytes "Lymphs" (Percent), Monocytes (Absolute), Monocytes (Percent), Neut/Lymph Ratio, Neutrophils (Absolute), Neutrophils (Percent), Polymorphs, Segmented Neutrophils, Segmented Neutrophils (Percent)
