Eosinophilic Esophagitis

Eosinophilic esophagitis is an allergic condition that happens in the esophagus.  It is a chronic immune system disease in which a type of white blood cell (eosinophil) builds up in the lining of the tube that connects your mouth to your stomach. (There should not be any eosinophils in the esophagus).  The esophagus becomes inflamed and does not contract properly. It can get narrowed and develop rings or abscesses. 

Eosinophilic esophagitis is a relatively newly recognized disease, but is now considered a major cause of digestive system (gastrointestinal) illness.  

 Adults:

• Difficulty swallowing (dysphagia)
• Food getting stuck in the esophagus after swallowing (impaction)
• Chest pain that is often centrally located and does not respond to antacids
• Backflow of undigested food (regurgitation)

Children:

• Difficulty feeding, in infants
• Difficulty eating, in children
• Vomiting
• Abdominal pain
• Difficulty swallowing (dysphagia)
• Food getting stuck in the esophagus after swallowing (impaction)
• No response to GERD medication
• Failure to thrive (poor growth, malnutrition and weight loss)