TROPICAL PULMONARY EOSINOPHILIA

Course overview

TROPICAL PULMONARY EOSINOPHILIA (TPE) IS A HYPERRESPONSIVE PULMONARY SYNDROME IN RESPONSE TO TRAPPED MICROFILARIAE WITHIN THE LUNG TISSUE CHARACTERIZED BY NOCTURNAL COUGH, DYSPNEA, AND WHEEZING. TRAVEL HISTORY TO A LYMPHATIC FILARIASIS ENDEMIC REGION, PERIPHERAL EOSINOPHILIA >3,000/MM3, AND ELEVATED SERUM IGE AND ANTIFILARIAL ANTIBODIES LEVEL IS CRUCIAL FOR DIAGNOSIS. TREATMENT WITH DIETHYLCARBAMAZINE HAS AN EXCELLENT RESPONSE. DESPITE TREATMENT, MILD INTERSTITIAL LUNG DISEASE HAS BEEN FOUND TO PERSIST IN SOME PATIENTS. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE EVALUATION AND TREATMENT OF TPE AND HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN EVALUATING AND TREATING PATIENTS WITH THIS CONDITION.