Overview of eosinophilic pulmonary diseases

[Vania]

Eosinophilic pulmonary diseases are a heterogeneous group of disorders characterized by the accumulation of eosinophils in alveolar spaces, the interstitium, or both. Peripheral blood eosinophilia is also common. Known causes of eosinophilic pulmonary disease include

Infections (especially helminthic infections)
Drug-induced pneumonitis (eg, caused by therapeutic drugs, such as antibiotics, phenytoin , or L-tryptophan)
Inhaled toxins (eg, recreational drugs, such as cocaine)
Systemic disorders (eg, eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis [formerly Churg-Strauss syndrome])
Allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis

Often the cause is unknown.
The two primary eosinophilic pulmonary diseases of unknown etiology are

Acute eosinophilic pneumonia
Chronic eosinophilic pneumonia

Hypereosinophilic syndrome, a systemic disease affecting multiple organs, is discussed elsewhere.
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