[Tropical filarial pulmonary eosinophilia and its differential diagnosis]

The authors present a comprehensive review of Tropical Pulmonary Eosinophilia (TPE) of filarial etiology and describe its differential diagnosis with similar syndromes. Epidemiological, clinical, diagnostic, therapeutic and phisiopathological aspects are considered, with an emphasis on new advances in our knowledge of lymphatic filariasis and their implication for improved understanding of TPE and similar syndromes. A TPE-like syndrome, which is caused by intestinal helminth infections, occurs in filariasis-endemic and non-endemic areas alike. The authors suggest guidelines for interpreting epidemiological, clinical, laboratory, radiologic (including ultrasonographic) and therapeutical data and properly diagnosing TPE syndromes. This guidelines also should be useful for physicians in areas where filariasis is not endemic but to which patients from endemic area (e.g., Greater Recife-PE, Maceió-AL and Belém-PA) frequent migrate.