Pneumonia- eosinophilic
Overview
Eosinophilic pneumonia (also called pulmonary infiltrates with eosinophilia syndrome) 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
Symptoms
Symptoms may be mild or life threatening. Simple eosinophilic pneumonia (Löffler's syndrome) and similar pneumonias (such as tropical eosinophilia, which is due to infestation by any of several species of nematode worms called filaria) may produce a slight fever and mild respiratory symptoms, if any. A person may cough, wheeze, and feel short of breath but usually recovers quickly. Another disease, known as acute eosinophilic pneumonia, may cause the level of oxygen in the blood to decrease severely and can progress to acute respiratory failure in a few hours or days if not treated. Chronic eosinophilic pneumonia, which slowly progresses over weeks to months, is a distinct disorder that may also become severe. Life-threatening shortness of breath can develop if the condition is not treated. With acute eosinophilic pneumonia, tests show large numbers of eosinophils in the blood, sometimes as many as 10 to 15 times the normal number. However, with chronic eosinophilic pneumonia, the numbers of eosinophils in the blood may be normal.
Causes
Gold salts Chlorpropamide Toxocariasis Echinococcus granulosus Oxytetracycline Strongyloidiasis Doxycycline Nitrofurantoin Allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis Sulphonamides Ascariasis Simple pulmonary eosinophilia Fasciola hepatica
Treatment
Eosinophilic pneumonia may be mild, and people with the disease may get better without treatment. For acute cases, a corticosteroid such as prednisone is usually needed. In chronic eosinophilic pneumonia, prednisone may be needed for many months or even years. If a person develops wheezing, the same treatments used for asthma are given as well (see Asthma: Prevention and Treatment). If worms or other parasites are the cause, the person is treated with appropriate drugs. Ordinarily, drugs that may be causing the illness are discontinued.