Eosinophilic pneumonia in the allergist's practice

Pulmonary eosinophilia is defined as infiltration of eosinophils into the lungs airways, interstitium, and alveoli. Various infections, drugs, parasites, autoimmune processes, malignancies and obstructive lung diseases have been associated with increased eosinophils in the lungs The eosinophilic pneumonias are a heterogeneous group of diseases characterized by an increase in eosinophils in lung tissue or bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. Many, but not all, of the eosinophilic pneumonias are also associated with a peripheral blood eosinophilia. The two main variants of the disease are acute and chronic eosinophilic pneumonia