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Causes
By Mayo Clinic staffNeutropenia may be caused by:
- Congenital disorders characterized by poor bone marrow function
- Cancer or other diseases that damage bone marrow
- Viral infections that disrupt bone marrow function
- Autoimmune disorders that destroy neutrophils or bone marrow cells
- Overwhelming infections that use up neutrophils faster than they can be produced
- Drugs that destroy neutrophils or damage bone marrow
Possible causes of neutropenia include:
- Alcoholism
- Aplastic anemia
- Bone marrow transplant
- Chemotherapy
- Chronic idiopathic neutropenia in adults
- Drugs, such as antibiotics and diuretics
- Hepatitis A
- Hepatitis B
- Hepatitis C
- Histoplasmosis
- HIV/AIDS
- Hypersplenism, a premature destruction of blood cells by the spleen
- Kostmann's syndrome, a congenital disorder involving low neutrophil production
- Leukemia
- Lupus
- Malaria
- Mononucleosis
- Myelodysplastic syndromes
- Myelofibrosis
- Myelokathexis, a congenital disorder involving failure of neutrophils to enter the bloodstream
- Other autoimmune disorders
- Other congenital disorders
- Other infectious diseases
- Other parasitic diseases
- Radiation therapy
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Sepsis
- Sjogren's syndrome
- Syndrome-associated neutropenia
- Tuberculosis
- Vitamin deficiencies
Causes shown here are commonly associated with this symptom. Work with your doctor or other health care professional for an accurate diagnosis.
References
- Baehner RL, et al. Overview of neutropenia. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Sept. 30, 2010.
- Dale DC. Neutropenia and neutrophilia. In: Lichtman MA, et al. Williams Hematology. 8th ed. New York, N.Y.: McGraw-Hill Companies Inc.; 2010. http://www.accessmedicine.com/resourceTOC.aspx?resourceID=69. Accessed Sept. 30, 2010.
- Neutropenia. The Merck Manuals: The Merck Manual for Healthcare professionals. http://www.merck.com/mmpe/sec11/ch132/ch132b.html?qt=neutropenia&alt=sh. Accessed Sept. 30, 2010.
- Laboratory reference values. Neutrophils. Rochester, Minn.: Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research; September 2010.
- Linker CA, et al. Blood disorders. In: McPhee SJ, et al. Current Medical Diagnosis & Treatment 2011. 50th ed. New York, N.Y.: McGraw-Hill Companies Inc.; 2010. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aID=5767. Accessed Sept. 30, 2010.
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