eosinophil count test

One of the most important substances present in the human body are the white blood cells. They help you fight bacteria, parasites and a lot of other viruses. The bone marrow produces five of the different kinds of white blood cells present in the human body.

White cells can live anywhere from several days to a few hours in the bloodstream. Eosinophils are one type of WBCs that are stored in the different tissues of the body. These marrows are responsible for ensuring all the white blood cells are replenished in the body.

When the levels of the white blood cells are elevated, it can be an indicator of either an infection or illness. If the levels are elevated, it means that the body is sending a lot more white blood cells than needed to fight off any sort of infections.

The eosinophil count is generally a test that is able to measure the number of eosinophils in the body.

Research has shown that there are a lot of other roles performed by the eosinophils. Nearly every system present in the body is heavily dependent on this in some way or the other. They are responsible for playing a role in any inflammatory response, especially for allergies.

There is no real preparation required for this test. You must, however, inform your doctor if you've been taken blood thinning medicines or drugs, after which, he might ask you to stop.

Certain medications that can increase the eosinophil count include the likes of:

• Interferon

• Diet pills

• Antibiotics

• Tranquillizers and laxatives

Sometimes, doctors can discover eosinophil levels that are abnormal while conducting a white blood count differential. The WBC differential test is normally done alongside a complete blood count or CBC which determines the total percentage of the kind of WBCs present in the blood.

Also, this test will show if you have a low or high WBC count as this can vary when certain diseases attack you. This test can also be ordered if doctors suspect specific conditions or diseases such as:

• Allergic reactions that are extreme

• A drug reaction or

• Parasitic infections

A healthcare provider will take a sample of blood from your arm by following these steps:

1. First, they’ll clean the site with a swab of antiseptic solution.

2. They’ll then insert a needle into your vein and attach a tube to fill with blood.

3. After drawing enough blood, they’ll remove the needle and cover the site with a bandage.

4. They’ll then send the blood sample to a laboratory for analysis.

Normal:

A normal blood sample will read fewer than 500 eosinophil cells per microliter of the blood in adults. Children may have varying levels depending on their age.

Abnormal:

If there are more than 500 eosinophil cells per microliter, then it means that you have a disease/disorder knwon as eosinophilia. It can be classified as milk (500-1500 per microliter), moderate (1500 to 5000 per microliter) or severe if it is greater than 5000 per microliter.

This can also be due to:

• Autoimmune disease

• Parasitic worm infection

• Allergic reactions which are severe

• Asthma

• Eczema

• Ulcerative colitis

• Scarlet fever

• Leukaemia

• Crohn's Disease

• Lupus

A low eosinophil count could be because of intoxication due to alcohol an elevated level in the production of cortisol such as the Cushing's disease.

Cortisol is a hormone that is produced naturally by the body and low eosinophil counts can be related to the time of the day as well. Normally, their levels are lowest in the morning and can get higher as the day progresses, reaching its peak somewhere in the evening.

Unless the Cushing's disease or alcohol abuse is seen as a reason, low levels are not generally a concern. Only if the other WBC counts are low, it can signal a problem in a person's bone marrow.

The count can be done after normally drawing blood, which is an experience almost everyone has already gone through. There are minimal risks such as minor bruises, and in some rare cases, veins can get a bit swollen after drawing blood. Such a situation is called phlebitis, and this can be treated with the help of a warm compress.

Too much bleeding can be a problem if you do have a bleeding disorder or take blood thinning medications such as aspirin or warfarin, and this needs immediate attention.

At Portea, we provide some of the best test facilities along with equipment. Our technicians are also really also experienced and will be able to put you at ease during the tests.

Ensure that you're in a physically apt condition in order to get the best results of the test.

Absolute Eosinophil Count ( AEC ) prices vary from one pathological lab to another. However, the Eosinophil Count test cost is usually not too exorbitant and is easily affordable. The Absolute Eosinophil Count ( AEC ) test cost offered at home also differ from traditional pathological labs. Portea™ provides this test at a price of Rs 120*.