STUDY OF EOSINOPHIL COUNT IN NASAL AND BLOOD SMEARS IN ALLERGIC RESPIRATORY DISORDERS IN CHILDREN

Background: Allergic respiratory problems are typical among children and are sometimes mistaken for repeated infections. Doing advanced tests like serum IgE and RAST is not possible in most primary care clinics, so simpler and less expensive tools are needed. Allergic inflammation is often marked by eosinophils which are simple to spot on both nasal and peripheral blood smears. Aim: To evaluate the diagnostic role of eosinophil counts in nasal and blood smears in children presenting with allergic respiratory disorders. Methods: A cross-sectional study was done on 50 children who were 12 years old or younger and had symptoms of allergic rhinitis and breathing difficulties, if present. Nasal samples were colored with Hansel’s stain and peripheral blood samples were colored with Leishman stain. A nasal smear with >5 eosinophils on a microscope and an absolute eosinophil count >440 cells/cumm was taken as a positive result. Results: Nasal eosinophilia was reported in 72% of the samples while blood eosinophilia was found in 62% of the cases. Of children with asthma and allergic rhinitis, 78% tested positive for both parasites. The most common signs were sneezing, nasal discharge and obstruction of the nasal passages. Conclusion: In primary and rural settings, using mild, reliable and economic tests such as nasal and blood eosinophil counts helps identify allergic respiratory disorders in children.