The Effect of Storage on Eosinophil Count and Evaluation of Two Major Methods on Eosinophil Count

Abstract

The effect of storage on eosinophil count and evaluation of two major methods of counting eosinophil was carried out in Owerri, Imo State. A total of one hundred (100) subjects were used and they were divided as follows. Adult male patients, adult female patients, sick children and healthy adults as control. The blood samples were analysed for eosinophils on the first day of collection, the second and third day after collection by total (direct) and differential (indirect) methods. The results obtained shows that total eosinophil count in a haemocytometer using a special diluting fluid gave a higher result than the differential eosinophil count using stained blood film; that eosinophils degenerated on storage, that the percentage loss was higher in patients than in healthy subjects and that percentage loss was higher in adult female patients than in adult male patients and sick children. Inspite of the loss of cells due to storage, reliable eosinophil counts may still be obtained in blood stored overnight at 4°C but probably not after 48 hours of storage. This finding may be of value to staff in very