what causes low white blood cells nhs?
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A low white blood cell count usually is caused by: Viral infections that temporarily disrupt the work of bone marrow. Certain disorders present at birth (congenital) that involve diminished bone marrow function. Cancer or other diseases that damage bone marrow.
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If you have fewer than normal white blood cells, you have a higher risk of getting an infection. When you have a low white blood cell count, your immune system isn't working as well as it should.
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Low counts can be contributed to sepsis, autoimmune disorders, lymphoma or conditions that affect bone marrow function. The test is nearly always ordered as part of a complete blood count, or CBC.
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A high WBC count likely indicates that an infection is present somewhere in the body, while a low number might indicate that an infection or disease—such as HIV or cancer—has slowed the bone marrow's ability to produce new WBCs. Red blood cells (erythrocytes) are responsible for delivering oxygen throughout the body.
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Generally, a count lower than 3,500 white blood cells per microliter of blood is considered a low white blood cell count. But ask your doctor what the normal range is for the laboratory he or she uses.
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Anemia is a result of blood loss and inflammation. The white blood cell (WBC) count in enteric or typhoid fever is often low. Leukocytosis is common in the first 10 days in children and may also result from bacteremia, localized infection, bowel perforation, or other extraintestinal complications.
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A person with cancer can develop a low WBC count from the cancer or from treatment for the cancer. Cancer may be in the bone marrow, causing fewer neutrophils to be made. The WBC count can also go down when cancer is treated with chemotherapy drugs, which slow bone marrow production of healthy WBCs.
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What if you had no white blood cells? If you had no white cells, you would get lots of very serious infections. White blood cells can find germs that enter your body and destroy them, which keeps them from making you sick.
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Your white blood cell count may be high because your body is fighting an infection. But other things can cause it, such as some medicines, burns, an illness, or other health problems. When your doctor sees that your white blood cell count is high, he or she will try to find out why, and then treat the cause.
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Treating a low white blood cell count A blood test can tell you if your white blood cell count is low. Your treatment will depend on what is causing your condition and will often include antibiotics. You may also need specific treatment: to boost your white blood cells.
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Infection. With a low white blood cell count and, in particular, a low level of neutrophils (neutropenia), a type of white blood cell that fights infection, you're at higher risk of developing an infection. And if you develop an infection when you have a low white blood cell count, your body can't protect itself.
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A low white blood cell count usually means your body isn't making enough white blood cells. It can increase your risk of all sorts of infections.
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Why It Occurs. A person with cancer can develop a low WBC count from the cancer or from treatment for the cancer. Cancer may be in the bone marrow, causing fewer neutrophils to be made. The WBC count can also go down when cancer is treated with chemotherapy drugs, which slow bone marrow production of healthy WBCs.
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Cancer-related causes of low blood cell counts include: Chemotherapy. Certain chemotherapy drugs can damage your bone marrow — the spongy material found in your bones. Your bone marrow makes blood cells, which grow rapidly, making them very sensitive to the effects of chemotherapy.
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The most serious complications of low blood cell counts include: Infection. With a low white blood cell count and, in particular, a low level of neutrophils (neutropenia), a type of white blood cell that fights infection, you're at higher risk of developing an infection.
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Certain respiratory illnesses, such as a whooping cough or tuberculosis, may cause the levels of white blood cells to increase. In some cases, all white blood cells are affected. However, some people have a specific disease in which only one type of white blood cell is affected.
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More serious conditions that may cause high white blood cell counts include blood disorders, including: Leukemia. Lymphoma. Bone marrow disorders such as polycythemia vera or myelofibrosis.