Pulmonary Eosinophilia

Abstract

A case history of a ten year old girl who was referred to the Chest Clinic is discussed. Initially the symptoms of the patient were pointing to tubercolosis. Several tests and examinations were carried out, particularly the Mantoux test and Tuberculin Skin test but both turned out to be negative. On examination, nothing of note could be detected, except for some expiratory ronchi over both lungs. After several further exams and treatments, it was concluded that one form of pulmonary hypersensitivity which fits in exactly the case described are recurrent and prolonged pulmonary infiltrations, with eosinophilia and asthma, a variant of the Pulmonary Eosinophilia. The pulmonary "infiltrations" may be mistaken for tuberculosis, especially in adults and in children with a positive Tuberculin Skin Test. The possible absence of eosinophilia would make the differential diagnosis more difficult. Many of the patients subsequently proved to have Pulmonary Eosinophilia were originally diagnosed as having tuberculosis.