Eosinophilic esophagitis

Eosinophilic esophagitis is an allergic inflammatory condition of the esophagus involving eosinophils, a type of white blood cell that is not normally present in the esophagus of a healthy person. In people with the condition, eosinophils migrate into the esophageal tissue in large numbers, and when a trigger food is eaten these cells contribute to tissue damage and swelling. The condition was first identified in children but is also recognized in adults. Its underlying mechanisms are not fully understood, but food allergies appear to play an important role in its development. Treatment typically involves eliminating suspected trigger foods from the diet and using medications to regulate the immune response, and in more severe cases doctors may need to perform an endoscopic procedure to widen a narrowed esophagus. Diagnosis can be difficult because the symptoms and the tissue changes seen on biopsy are not unique to this disease, so clinicians must rule out other causes of esophageal inflammation before confirming the diagnosis.