Eosinophilic pneumonia

[Oralee]

Eosinophilic pneumonia comprises a group of lung diseases in which eosinophils (a type of white blood cell) appear in increased numbers in the lungs and usually in the bloodstream.

Certain disorders, drugs, chemicals, fungi, and parasites may cause eosinophils to accumulate in the lungs.
People may cough, wheeze, or feel short of breath, and some people develop respiratory failure.
Doctors use x-rays and laboratory tests to detect the disorder and determine the cause, especially if parasites are suspected as the cause.
Corticosteroids are usually given.

(See also Overview of Interstitial Lung Diseases.)
Eosinophils are a type of white blood cell that participates in the immune response of the lung. The number of eosinophils increases during many inflammatory and allergic reactions, including asthma, which frequently accompanies certain types of eosinophilic pneumonia. Eosinophilic pneumonia differs from typical pneumonias in that there is no suggestion that the tiny air sacs of the lungs (alveoli) are infected by bacteria, viruses, or fungi. However, the alveoli and often the airways do fill with eosinophils. Even the blood vessel walls may be invaded by eosinophils, and the narrowed airways may become plugged with an accumulation of secretions (mucus) if asthma develops.