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Blood Test Showed Eosinophils Level 18. What Is The Normal Range?

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Posted on Wed, 14 Nov 2012
Question: My husband's blood test came back showing a level of 18 on his eosinophils, and the doctor said the normal range is 2. However, when I checked it on the internet it said below 350 is normal.
doctor
Answered by Dr. Anantharamakrishnan (3 hours later)
Hi,

Thanks for the query.

Eosinophils are generally expressed as a PERCENTAGE of White Blood Cell (WBC) count. Up to 6% of the total white cell count is seen in most people.

350 is the absolute count - TOTAL number per micro-litre / percentage X total count. More than 500 need attention. 1500 and more is eosinophilia and needs work up.

Hope your doubt is clarified. If you have any other doubts, I will gladly clarify them.

Good luck

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Prasad
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Anantharamakrishnan (2 days later)
Okay, you said more than 500 absolute count needs attention. At what percentage should we be concerned? My husband's percentage was 18%. If you recommend follow-up or attention, what does this include?

Before getting the blood work, my husband was running high fever for 5 days, but after his physician gave him an injection of antibiotics, the fever was gone. He's currently on antibiotics for pleurosy (this was the physician's final diagnosis - only because when he took a XXXXXXX breath he felt a little pain in his chest).
doctor
Answered by Dr. Anantharamakrishnan (10 hours later)
Hi and thanks again,

The normal white cell count has a wide range – 4 to 11 thousand per cubic milli meter (cmm). The normal eosinophil count has a range – 1 to 4 %

If the total count is 10, 000 and the eosinophil is 2% = then they are 200 per cmm.
18% is quite high – 5 times - and needs further work up NOW.

The common causes are allergy, asthma and parasitic infections. Less common, but of more concern, are auto-immune diseases, leukaemia and so on.
Usual viral and bacterial infections are not generally responsible.

The best person to consult will be a haematologist. Starting from simple blood smear, there are a battery of tests of increasing complexity - to exclude serious conditions, though less common...

Hope I was able to address all your concerns. Let me know if I missed any or if you have further concerns.

Wishing him speedy recovery

Good luck

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Prasad
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Answered by
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Dr. Anantharamakrishnan

Cardiologist

Practicing since :1966

Answered : 4505 Questions

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Blood Test Showed Eosinophils Level 18. What Is The Normal Range?

Hi,

Thanks for the query.

Eosinophils are generally expressed as a PERCENTAGE of White Blood Cell (WBC) count. Up to 6% of the total white cell count is seen in most people.

350 is the absolute count - TOTAL number per micro-litre / percentage X total count. More than 500 need attention. 1500 and more is eosinophilia and needs work up.

Hope your doubt is clarified. If you have any other doubts, I will gladly clarify them.

Good luck