Specimen processing:
(1) Prepare a urine sediment smear after centrifugation at 2,000 rpm. (A cytospin preparation would be an alternative method). The slide should be fixed briefly with methanol.
(2) Stain with 20 drops of Hansel stain (methylene blue and eosin-Y in methanol) for 45 seconds. (The authors then added 20 drops of distilled water to dilute the stain, and let this stand for an additional 30 seconds).
(3) The slide is rinsed with distilled water, decolorized for 1-2 seconds with methanol, then rinsed again with distilled water.
NOTE: The authors compared staining with Hansel vs Wright stains. A Wright-Giemsa stain might perform better than a regular Wright stain.
percent eosinophils =
= (number of eosinophils counted) / (total number of white blood cells counted) * 100%
Interpretation:
• A finding of >= 1% eosinophils was considered positive.
• In the distinction between interstitial nephritis and acute tubular necrosis, the presence of eosinophiluria favors the diagnosis acute interstitial nephritis.
|
Percent Eosinophils
|
Interpretation
|
|
0 to 0.99%
|
negative
|
|
1 to 5%
|
low grade
|
|
> 5%
|
high grade
|
Conditions with eosinophiluria:
(1) acute interstitial nephritis (frequent)
(2) schistosomiasis involving the urinary tract (frequent)
(3) acute prostatitis (frequent)
(4) rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis (some)
(5) post-infectious glomerulonephritis (few)
(6) acute cystitis (few)
