A study on patients with eosinophilia of suspected parasitic origin

A study of 53 patients with eosinophilia of suspected parasitic origin was conducted. Investigations done for each case included, stool and urine examinations, absolute eosinophilic count and countercurrent immunoelectrophoresis (CIEP) using crude antigens of Fasciola hepatica, Schistosoma mansoni worms, Trichinella spiralis and Toxocara canis larvae, and hydatid fluid. Stool examination revealed six cases with Fasciola eggs, two with Ascaris lumbricoides and one with S. mansoni eggs. The eosinophilic count ranged from 682 to 10560 cell/mm3. 26 cases showed mild eosinophilia, 24 moderate and three marked eosinophilia. Out of the 53 cases examined by the CIEPT, 30 were positive with Fasciola antigen. Their eosinophilic count ranged from 770 to 10560 cell/mm3. Six cases were positive with hydatid antigen and had an eosinophilic count ranging from 825 to 2970 cell/mm3. Only one case was positive with S. mansoni antigen and its eosinophilic count was 935 cell/mm3. 16 cases were negative with the different antigens used and their eosinophilic count ranged from 682 to 2200 cell/mm3.