THE ETIOLOGICAL FACTOR FOR EOSINOPHILIA AND HYPERGLOBULINEMIA E IN BRAZILIAN SCHOOL CHILDREN

Abstract

The etiology of peripheral blood eosinophilia and hyperglobulinemia E, which are commonly found among residents in tropical area, were studied with two groups of Brazilian children from different primary schools. These two groups of children had different infection rates with soil-transmitted helminthiases, but similar positive rates of antibody against a common allergic antigen. The prevalence rate of children with eosinophilia or hyperglobulinemia E was significantly higher in a group with higher infection rate with soil-transmitted helminthiases than in another group with lower infection rate. It was suggested that eosinophilia and hyperglobulinemia E in this area were mainly caused by soil-transmitted helminthiases.