Eosinophils can accumulate at a number of different anatomic sites in the gastrointestinal tract and eosinophilic oesophagitis, gastritis, gastroenteritis, enteritis and colitis have been identified in many species including man, dog, cat, horse and cattle. In all species, these conditions are relatively uncommon. In man, primary eosinophilic gastrointestinal disorders are defined as eosinophil-rich inflammatory conditions that predominantly affect the gastrointestinal tract in the absence of known causes for eosinophilia e.g. drug reactions, parasite infections and malignancy. Eosinophilic infiltration of the gastrointestinal tract may be one manifestation of a more diffuse, infiltrative eosinophilic disease affecting multiple organs. A mini-epidemic of human eosinophilic gastrointestinal disorders [particularly eosinophilic oesophagitis in children) has been noted over the last decade, suspected to be related to allergic and genetic factors.
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