[Eosinophilic gastroenteritis]

We describe the case of a 33 year-old woman who was hospitalized for ascites, abdominal pain and food allergy. Blood samples and histologic examination of a jejunal specimen removed by laparotomy revealed that the patient suffered from eosinophilic gastroenteritis. This disease is classified among the hypereosinophilic syndromes, and food allergy may be of etiologic importance. Clinically eosinophilic gastroenteritis may present with ascites, malabsorption or gut obstruction. The eosinophilic blood cell count is usually elevated and the erythrocyte sedimentation rate is usually normal or slightly increased. Polyarteritis nodosa, Crohn's disease and nematodal infections of the gut must be excluded. Most patients respond well to corticosteroid therapy and the long-term prognosis is good, even though the disease is chronic in nature.