white blood cells count and disease diagnosis?

Question

how can the w.b.c. count help doctors diagnose diseases (increase ... decrease ...wbc types ...etc.) ?
(please try to mention all the disease that w.b.c. count can be an indicator to. )

* this question is posted on behalf of a volunteer works in a remote area in Africa, in a lab that is poorly equipped, and there are very few tests that can be done there, so please try to give a detailed answer.

Answer 1

I can provide with you with the necessary info but, my answer will be lengthy. I can provide info on WBC's and differential count.
Normal WBC count for an Adult/child>2 years: 5,000 - 10,000
Child<2 years: 6,200 - 17,000
Newborn: 9,000-17,000

Differential count: Measures the percentage of each type of leukocyte present in the same specimen.
Norrmal range values
Neutrophils: 55 -70
Lymphocytes: 20- 40
Monocytes: 2- 8
Eosinophils: 1-4
Basophils: 0.5-1
Interfering factors that may alter the results:
1) Physical activity and strees may cause an increase in WBC's and differential values
2) Pregnancy ( final month) and labor may cause increased WBC levels
3) Patients who have had a Splenectomy have a persistent, mild elevation of WBC counts
4) Drugs that may cause increased WBC levels include adrenaline,allopurinol,aspirin, chloroform, epinephrine, heparin,quinine, steriods, and triamterence(Dyrenium)
5) Drugs that cause decreased WBC levels includeantibiotics,anticonvulsants, antihistamines, antimetabolites, antithyroid meds, arsenicals, barbiturates, chemo agents, diuretics, and sulfonamides
Increased WBC:
1) infection 2) Leukemic neoplasia 3) Trauma 4) Stress 5) Tissue Necrosis 6) Inflammation
Decreased WBC:
1) Drug toxicity (ie: chloramphenicol) 2) Bone marrow failure 3) Overwhelming infections 4) Dietary deficiency 5) Autoimmune disease ( Lupus) 6) Bone marrow infiltration ( myelofibrosis 7) Congenital marrow aplasia
The cause for abnormalities in the WBC and differential is quite a wide range of physical diseases/illnesses.Too numerous to mention. Maybe you can search the web to find out this additional information. Just type in WBC differential.
I hope that I was helpful. Here's a web:
http://www.labtestsonline.org.uk/understanding/analytes?differential/test.html

Answer 2

Increased white blood cell count indicates an infection. This is only one factor. All the signs and symptoms would be also be used to make a diagnosis.

Listing all the diseases that have a variation in WBC would be too numerous to be of any help.

Answer 3

If you have all had a negative result then you really don't need to worry about it being HIV! If you have had liver cirrhosis then chances are your immune system has been compromised- the liver has a huge amount of functions in the body including producing hormones and chemicals which make your immune system do its job. I assume you have been to the doctor since you have had a HIV test- go back and ask for their advice! If your WBC count is so low then i am surprised that they are not already testing to find out why. Good luck.

Answer 4

A WBC count is normally ordered as part of the complete(or full) blood count (CBC)(FBC), which is ordered for a wide variety of reasons. A WBC count also may be ordered to monitor recovery from illness. Counts that continue to rise or fall to abnormal levels indicate that the condition is getting worse. Counts that return to normal indicate improvement. Unfortunately, a standard reference range is not available for this test. Because reference values are dependent on many factors, including patient age, gender, sample population, and test method, numeric test results have different meanings in different labs. The lab report should include the specific reference range for the test. The first step in determining a given reference range is to define the population to which the reference range will apply, for example, healthy females between 20 and 30 years old. A large number of individuals from this category would be tested for a specific laboratory test. The results would be averaged and a range (plus or minus 2 standard deviations of the average) of normal values would be established. The term "reference range" is preferred over "normal range" because the reference population can be clearly defined. Rather than implying that the test results are being compared with some ill-defined concept of "normal," the reference range means the results are being considered in the most relevant context. When you examine test results from different populations, you quickly discover that what is "normal" for one group is not necessarily normal for another group. For example, pregnancy changes many aspects of the body’s chemistry, so pregnant women have their own set of reference ranges. An elevated number of white blood cells is called leukocytosis. This can result from bacterial infections, inflammation, leukemia, trauma, or stress. A decreased WBC count is called leukopenia. It can result from many different situations, such as chemotherapy, radiation therapy, or diseases of the immune system. Eating, physical activity, and stress can cause an increased WBC count. Pregnancy in the final month and labour may be associated with increased WBC levels. If the spleen has been removed, there may be a persistent mild to moderate increased WBC count. The WBC count tends to be lower in the morning and higher in the late afternoon. WBC counts are age-related. On average, normal newborns and infants have higher WBC counts than adults. It is not uncommon for the elderly to fail to develop leukocytosis as a response to infection. There are many drugs that cause both increased and decreased WBC counts. Sometimes the cause of a low white blood cell count can't be determined (idiopathic). Known causes of a low white blood cell count (leukopenia) include - Infections, such as viral infections and HIV. Autoimmune disorders, such as lupus. Certain medications, especially those used in chemotherapy and some antibiotics. Radiation therapy. Bone marrow disease, such as leukemia or myelodysplastic syndromes.White blood cells help fight infection in your body. A “normal” white blood cell count ranges from 4,500 to 10,000 cells per microlitre of blood. A mild decrease in white blood cells below 4,500 cells per microliter doesn't necessarily indicate a serious illness. However, a dangerously low white blood cell count — below 2,500 cells per microlitre — increases the risk of serious infection. Without discussing individual diseases and conditions and their possible range of results, I will stop this discussion here.

Hope this is of some help
matador 89

Answer 5

Increased white blood cells in lab results signify infection somewhere in the body.

Answer 6

1

Answer 7

most infections results in elevated counts of WBC's more than the normal range 4.000-10.000/mm^3. as following:

- Bacterial infection >>> elevated Granulocytes
- Viral & Funjal infection >>> elevated Lymphocytes
- infection with AIDS results in VERY DECREASED count of LYMPHOCYTES


thats all