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Diagnosis of a Low White Count

An abnormal decrease in white blood cells in your blood is called leukopenia. White blood cells (or leukocytes) play a major role in fighting disease and illness.

  1. Significance

    • Having a low count of white blood cells indicates an underlying medical condition and also indicates an increased risk of contracting other illnesses since your body is not able to fight off disease/infection normally.

    Facts

    • According to the Mayo Clinic, having white blood cell count lower than 3,500 for each microliter of blood is indicative of a low white blood cell count.

    Causes

    • Low white blood cell count may be caused by medical conditions such as aplastic anemia, leukemia, HIV/AIDS or lupus. It may also be caused by cancer, chemotherapy, diseases that damage bone marrow, serious infections, autoimmune disorders and medications that damage or destroy white blood cells.

    Symptoms/Diagnosis

    • Symptoms may include hypersomnia (increased amounts of sleep), recurrent infections and fever. Your doctor will need to order a complete blood count (CBC) to definitively measure your white blood cell count and diagnose your condition.

    Potential Treatments

    • A 2005 study performed at the Huazhong University of Science and Technology indicated that sodium copper chlorophyllin tablets were effective in raising white blood cell counts in patients with leukopenia caused by various factors.

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