Diarrhoea, ascites and eosinophilia: an unusual triad

The onset of diarrhoea and cramp-like abdominal pain following consumption of an identified food type is not an uncommon presentation to many practitioners. However, when it fails to settle and is associated with unusual features both on examination and on initial work-up, then a more complex diagnostic and therapeutic conundrum needs to be considered. We report on such a case where the onset of diarrhoea was associated with ascites and peripheral eosinophilia. A variety of causes including parasitic and tuberculous infection were excluded. A diagnosis of eosinophilic enteritis was made based on definite criteria, and appropriate management was instituted. In this report we discuss the diagnostic criteria and some of the proposed pathophysiologic theories in order to explain this unusual disease process.