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Eosinophilic Disorders
Reviewed by Medicinsk Expert•Last updated: 2026-10-22•Blood Heart Circulation

Eosinophilic Disorders

Eosinophils are a type of white blood cell that help fight infection, but they can build up in organs and tissues to cause inflammation.

Overview

Eosinophils are a type of white blood cell. They help fight off infections and play a role in your body's immune response. They can also build up and cause inflammation.

Normally your blood doesn't have a large number of eosinophils. Your body may produce more of them in response to:

  • Allergic disorders
  • Skin conditions
  • Parasitic and fungal infections
  • Autoimmune diseases
  • Some cancers
  • Bone marrow disorders

Management

In some conditions, the eosinophils can move outside the bloodstream and build up in organs and tissues. This can happen in many different parts of the body, including the esophagus, heart, lungs, blood, and intestines. Treatment of eosinophilic disorders can vary, depending on the cause and which part of the body is affected. Steroids are often part of the treatment.

Frequently Asked Questions

The symptoms vary widely depending on which organ or tissue is affected. For example, if eosinophils build up in the esophagus, you might experience difficulty swallowing, food getting stuck, or heartburn. In the lungs, symptoms could include coughing, wheezing, or shortness of breath. In the intestines, you might have abdominal pain, diarrhea, or nausea. Since these symptoms can overlap with many other conditions, diagnosis requires specific testing.
Diagnosis usually starts with a complete blood count (CBC) to check for elevated eosinophil levels in the blood. If elevated, further tests are needed to identify the affected organs and underlying cause. This might include allergy testing, stool tests for parasites, imaging scans (like X-rays or CT scans), and biopsies of affected tissues (e.g., esophagus, stomach, colon, lung) to look for eosinophil infiltration.
Steroids (corticosteroids) are effective in reducing inflammation caused by eosinophil buildup. They can be given orally, topically, or by injection, depending on the affected area. While effective, long-term or high-dose steroid use can have side effects such as weight gain, mood changes, increased blood sugar, bone thinning, and increased risk of infection. Your doctor will aim for the lowest effective dose for the shortest duration to manage your condition.
Source: MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine

MedlinePlus brings together authoritative health information from the National Library of Medicine (NLM), the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and other government agencies and health-related organizations.

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