White blood cell are irregular or spindle shaped
Answers
They are irregular in shape.
Answer:
White blood cell disorders are indicated when the body has too many or too few white blood cells (WBCs or leukocytes)—one of the four components of your blood. These cells, manufactured in the bone marrow, are involved in inflammatory responses and play an important role in your immune system's ability to fight infections. Some white blood cell disorders (e.g., autoimmune neutropenia) are benign, while others (e.g., leukemia) are malignant. These conditions can affect both adults and children.
While a high WBC count is worth concern, it can occur when a disease, infection, or inflammation is present in the body and—on its own—may not indicate a white blood cell disorder. Your doctor will likely perform additional testing to determine the cause of your abnormal WBC levels.
White blood cell illustration
SEBASTIAN KAULITZKI / Getty Images
Symptoms
Symptoms of white blood cell disorders vary based on the type of illness, though some people do not have any symptoms at all.
Symptoms, when they occur, are predominantly related to infection and include:1
Frequent or recurrent infections
Fever
Mouth ulcers
Skin abscesses
Pneumonia
Fatigue
Malaise
Unexplained weight loss
The 5 Major Types of WBCs
Neutrophils, which predominantly fight bacterial infections
Lymphocytes, which predominantly fight viral infections
Monocytes, which predominantly fight fungal infections
Eosinophils, which predominantly fight parasitic infections and are involved in allergic reactions
Basophils, which are involved in inflammatory reactions2
Types and Functions of White Blood Cells
Causes
WBC disorders fall under two major categories: proliferative disorders, meaning an increase in WBCs, and leukopenias, which involve a decrease in WBCs.
These can occur when there is a change in white blood cell production, a problem with cellular function, or another issue with a particular type of white blood cell. The driving reason behind these events can differ depending on the disorder.
Common white blood cell disorders and their causes include:
Leukocytosis, an increased number of white blood cells: Possible causes include bacterial or viral infections, certain medications, allergies, smoking, inflammatory diseases, autoimmune disorders, a genetic condition, and cancer.3
Leukemia: Cancer of the cells that produces white blood cells in the bone marrow; possible causes include genetic predisposition, smoking, and chemical or radiation exposure.
Autoimmune neutropenia, when the body produces antibodies that attack and destroy neutrophils: The condition is associated with various conditions, including Crohn's disease and rheumatoid arthritis.
Severe congenital neutropenia, which is secondary to a genetic mutation. People with severe congenital neutropenia have recurrent bacterial infections.
Cyclic neutropenia: This is also due to a genetic mutation. The neutropenia occurs in cycles of about 21 days.
Chronic granulomatous disease: This is a disorder where multiple types of WBCs (neutrophils, monocytes, macrophages) are unable to function properly. It is an inherited condition and results in multiple infections, particularly pneumonia and abscesses.
Leukocyte adhesion deficiencies (LAD syndromes), rare genetic disorders where the white blood cells are unable to move to areas of infection
Disorders involving too many of one type of WBC are indicated by the suffix -philia, while those related to too few WBCs end in -penia.
Diagnosis
As with other blood disorders, the first test commonly performed is a complete blood count (CBC).4 This may be specifically ordered because you are having recurrent or unusual infections and your doctor suspects a white blood cell disorder. But since a CBC is also done as part of an annual physical, the test may incidentally detect such a condition.
In reviewing results, your healthcare provider will be looking for a change in either your total WBC count or in the number of a particular type of WBC. Your results will be compared to the appropriate reference range for WBC counts. These can vary from lab to lab, but on average are as follows:2
Men: 5,000 to 10,000 WBC per microliter of blood
Women: 4,500 to 11,000 WBC per microliter of blood
Children (from infancy to adolescence): 5,000 to 10,000 WBC per microliter of blood
Newborns (under 2 weeks of age): 9,000 to 30,000 WBC per microliter of blood
Note: African-Americans have lower baseline WBC counts than whites.5