eosinophilia in severe trichinellosis

Q: Absence of eosinophilia in severe trichinellosis is a? (select one) 

A) Good sign 
B) Bad sign 


 Answer: B 

 Massive eosinophilia which may go up to 90% of leucocytosis is a hallmark of clinical trichinellosis. It starts during the second week of the muscle stage and peaked at the third or fourth week. Said that there is no correlation between the clinical course of the disease and the severity of eosinophilia. Disappearance or absence of eosinophilia in severe clinical trichinellosis is actually a poor prognostic sign.

#infectiousdiseases
#laboratory-medicine



References:

1. Kociecka W. Trichinellosis: human disease, diagnosis and treatment. Vet Parasitol 2000; 93:365.

2. Vu Thi N, Trung DD, Litzroth A, et al. The hidden burden of trichinellosis in Vietnam: a postoutbreak epidemiological study. Biomed Res Int 2013; 2013:149890.