What Diseases Cause Low White Blood Cell Count – Dear Mayo Clinic: My 16-year-old granddaughter was recently diagnosed with a low white blood cell count after going to the ER twice with migraine headaches, vomiting and temporary loss of vision. What could cause a low white blood cell count in someone his age? I’m worried it’s something serious and wondering what other tests should be done.

Answer: Many diseases and conditions can cause low white blood cell counts. Without more information it is difficult to say what the specific cause of your granddaughter’s condition may be. It is unlikely that the low number is related to her migraines and other symptoms. It would be wise to get another blood test done to see if the problem persists. His doctor can then decide whether he needs to be evaluated further.

What Diseases Cause Low White Blood Cell Count

Blood has many components. In addition to infection-fighting white blood cells, red blood cells carry oxygen and platelets help blood clot. Bone marrow, the spongy tissue inside the bones, makes blood cells.

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There are many types of white blood cells. Neutrophils fight fungal and bacterial infections. Lymphocytes protect the body from viral infections. Monocytes help get rid of dead or damaged tissue and regulate the body’s immune response. Eosinophils are disease-fighting white blood cells. Basophils play a role in wound healing, infection, and allergic reactions.

One of the most common causes of low white blood cell count is viral infection. These infections can sometimes temporarily inhibit the bone marrow’s production of blood cells, so the blood cell count decreases. As the body recovers from the infection, the count usually increases again. For most people, this temporary drop in blood cells has no long-term effects.

Some medications can also cause low white blood cell counts because they can destroy white blood cells or damage the bone marrow. For example, taking antibiotics can sometimes cause an abnormal drop in neutrophils, called neutropenia. With this in mind, it would be helpful to have your granddaughter’s doctor review any of her medications to see if they may be causing changes in her blood cell counts.

Many other conditions and disorders can also cause neutropenia. For an overview of this condition and more information about its diagnosis and treatment, you can watch a Mayo Clinic video.

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The list of other possible causes for a drop in a person’s white blood cell count is long. Autoimmune disorders, congenital disorders that affect the way the bone marrow works, disorders of the spleen, certain infectious diseases, cancer, and parasitic diseases, among others, can all cause low white blood cell counts.

A good next step for your granddaughter would be to have a complete blood count test. This test measures components present in the blood. This test shows your granddaughter has a low number of specific types of white blood cells, plus the results of other blood component measurements can help shed light on what may be causing the deficiency.

The other symptoms you mentioned – headache, loss of vision and vomiting – should also be addressed by a physical examination, a review of your granddaughter’s family and medical history, and any additional testing recommended by her doctor. Even if these symptoms are not related to a decrease in his white blood cell count, it is still important to investigate and identify their underlying cause. – Carola Arndt, M.D., Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn.

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According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, heart disease is the leading cause of death in the US. Heart disease refers to a category of readRead moreLow white blood cell count is a condition where the number of white blood cells in your body becomes very low. White blood cells (also called leukocytes) are part of the immune system, and are cells that protect your body from infection by bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites. Low white blood cell count is also known as leukopenia.

White blood cells are very important for health. Life is impossible without them. Disease-causing microorganisms are virtually everywhere, but most people do not get sick because they have enough white blood cells to provide protection. A low number of white blood cells often means there is a problem with the body, so it is not considered normal.

There are many types of white blood cells. Each has its own specific purposes and different life spans. These include monocytes (transform into other white blood cells), lymphocytes (release antibodies, regulate immunity, and kill infected human cells), basophils (initiate inflammatory responses), eosinophils (kill parasites, and allergens). trigger reactions), and neutrophils (the main killers of bacteria and fungi).

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Our body constantly produces millions of different white blood cells to replace damaged or dead cells. That is why their numbers remain relatively stable most of the time. The immune system is efficient in regulating the number of white blood cells activity, increasing or decreasing the number of a particular type as required in the situation. Even in those moments when we put ourselves at risk, such as eating dirty or spoiled food, breathing dust full of microorganisms, being in crowded places, or in places like airplanes, gyms, or hospitals. But, we don’t get sick often because we have a good supply of white blood cells that kill pathogens before they can cause infection.

If we fall ill, the immune system will initiate a series of actions to stop the growth of or kill the invading pathogens, as well as to destroy infected or dying cells in the body. Infection often causes a large increase in white blood cell counts. Doctors can easily know if you have an infection if they see that your white blood cell count is higher than normal. Increased white blood cells make the body more likely to fend off infection.

Of course, there are cases where the white blood cell count drops. In most cases, it requires thorough investigation because it is often associated with health problems, some of which are serious. A low white blood cell count is not a diagnosis or health condition. This is just a finding after a routine blood test.

The correct term for the blood test or examination is called complete blood count or CBC. Doctors often order a CBC because it analyzes the number of cell components, including white blood cells. The normal range of white blood cell count may vary. The Mayo Clinic says the normal range is 3.5 billion to 10.5 billion cells per liter of blood. Meanwhile, Medline Plus says normal counts are 4,500 to 11,000 white blood cells per microliter (mcL).

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CBC is the only way to determine the number of white blood cells in the body. Your doctor may order several CBC tests to monitor your blood cell counts.

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The main purpose of white blood cells is to protect the body from infection by microorganisms. If their numbers become too low, you may become vulnerable to infection. Most people don’t actually feel any symptoms until their white blood cell counts become very low.

If your white blood cell count has been low for a period of time, you may have illness or infection more often than usual.

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Not all microorganisms, except HIV, are able to attack white blood cells head-on. Meanwhile, killing microorganisms is the main purpose of white blood cells. The body naturally produces more white blood cells in case of infection or inflammation. This explains why infection causes an increase in white blood cell counts.

As we mentioned earlier, our body continuously produces white blood cells. White blood cells are produced in the bone marrow just like other blood components. Having a low blood cell count means that there is something wrong with the production of white blood cells.

In most cases, low white blood cell counts are the result of some disease. It may also occur as a side effect of some treatments. Malnutrition and lack of nutrients can also cause a decline in white blood cell count.

Low white blood cell counts are often associated with diseases. One of the most common causes is severe infection, which can use up white blood cells faster than they can be produced. If the disease is not treated, or treatment does not respond, serious infections may develop. This often occurs in infants, very young children, or the elderly.

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Low white blood cell counts are often a symptom of immunodeficiency or a weak immune system. As you learned in school, white blood cells are the backbone of the immune system. A low count of specific white blood cells in a CBC can often reveal the cause of immunodeficiency. Some of the most common conditions that cause immunodeficiency include systemic lupus erythromatosis

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