Helmintosis y eosinofilia en España (1990-2015) / Helminthosis and eosinophilia in Spain (1990-2015)

La detección de eosinofilia periférica es un motivo relativamente frecuente para la remisión de un paciente a una Unidad/Servicio de Enfermedades Infecciosas. En general, se pretende descartar una enfermedad parasitaria, tanto en personas autóctonas como en viajeros o inmigrantes. Excepcionalmente la eosinofilia relacionada con parásitos corresponde a una protozoosis, siendo los helmintos los principales agentes causales de este hallazgo hematológico. La eosinofilia puede ser el único hallazgo anormal o formar parte del cuadro clínico-biológico del paciente. Por otro lado, no todas las helmintosis se asocian de forma sistemática a eosinofilia, y el grado de la misma difiere entre las fases de la infección y el tipo de helminto. El propósito de esta revisión es un estudio sistemático de la relación entre helmintosis y eosinofilia en la literatura española, distinguiendo los casos autóctonos e importados, así como la relación con situaciones de inmunodepresión (AU)

The finding of blood eosinophilia in a patient is a relatively frequent reason to refer him/her to a Clinical Department of Infectious Diseases. The doctor usually intends to rule out a parasitic disease in the autochthonous population, travelers or immigrants. It is uncommon for an eosinophilia to be produced by protozoa infection, whereas helminth parasites are more frequently associated with an increase of eosinophil counts in the infected patient. Eosinophilia can be the only abnormal finding, or it could be part of more complex clinical manifestations suffered by the patient. Furthermore, many, but not all, helminth infections are associated with eosinophilia, and the eosinophil level (low, high) differs according to parasite stages, helminth species, and worm co-infections. The purpose of the present article is to carry out a systematic review of cases and case series on helminth infections and eosinophilia reported in Spain from 1990 to 2015, making a distinction between autochthonous and imported (immigrants and travelers) cases, and studying their relationship with immunodepression situations (AU)

Helminthosis and eosinophilia in Spain (1990-2015). / Helmintosis y eosinofilia en España (1990-2015).

The finding of blood eosinophilia in a patient is a relatively frequent reason to refer him/her to a Clinical Department of Infectious Diseases. The doctor usually intends to rule out a parasitic disease in the autochthonous population, travelers or immigrants. It is uncommon for an eosinophilia to be produced by protozoa infection, whereas helminth parasites are more frequently associated with an increase of eosinophil counts in the infected patient. Eosinophilia can be the only abnormal finding, or it could be part of more complex clinical manifestations suffered by the patient. Furthermore, many, but not all, helminth infections are associated with eosinophilia, and the eosinophil level (low, high) differs according to parasite stages, helminth species, and worm co-infections. The purpose of the present article is to carry out a systematic review of cases and case series on helminth infections and eosinophilia reported in Spain from 1990 to 2015, making a distinction between autochthonous and imported (immigrants and travelers) cases, and studying their relationship with immunodepression situations.