[Eosinophilic gastrointestinal disease - a rare condition of unknown cause]

Eosinophilic gastrointestinal disease is a rare condition of unknown cause with rising incidence in adults and characterized by chronic inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract with accumulation of eosinophils in the gastrointestinal wall, without other apparent cause (e.g., infections, IBD). There are three types of eosinophilic gastrointestinal disease, classified according to the location of the eosinophilic infiltration: eosinophilic esophagitis, eosinophilic gastroenteritis, and eosinophilic colitis. A combination of clinical suspicion, histologic evidence of eosinophilic infiltration, and exclusion of other causes of tissue eosinophilia leads to the diagnosis. Elimination diet, corticosteroid therapy, and steroid-sparing agents are currently used to treat eosinophilic gastrointestinal disease.