Q: I have been prescribed Mebex and Hetrazan 100 since I have a high eosinophil count. However, the rest of CBC report looks fine. My ANC is 2992, haemoglobin is 16.2 and RBC count is 5.14. Is a high eosinophil count a cause of worry?

A:Eosinophils are a type of white blood cells (WBCs) produced in the bone marrow that contain proteins that contribute to the immunologic responses against infectious disease agents and to tissue damage in allergic and autoimmune diseases. Normally, the absolute eosinophil count in the blood is around 500 per microlitre but it can increase in: allergic conditions (asthma, allergic rhinitis, drug reactions), infectious diseases (especially worm infestation), some connective tissue diseases, malignancies, etc. Specific treatment for infectious, allergic, and haematologic-oncologic disease associated with eosinophilia is required. Diethylcarbamazine (Hetrazan) is used in the treatment of certain worm infestations. Mebendazole (Mebex) is indicated in the treatment of thread worm, roundworm, whip worm, hookworm, pinworm, tapeworm and mixed helminthic infestations.