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Definition
By Mayo Clinic staffNeutropenia (noo-troe-PEE-nee-uh) is an abnormally low count of neutrophils, white blood cells that help your immune system fight off infections, particularly of bacteria and fungi. You have several types of white blood cells, and between 45 and 70 percent of all white blood cells are neutrophils.
The threshold for defining neutropenia varies slightly from one medical practice to another. Neutropenia in adults is generally defined as a count of 1,700 or fewer neutrophils per microliter of blood. The cell count indicating neutropenia in children varies with age.
The lower your neutrophil count, the more vulnerable you are to infectious diseases. If you have severe neutropenia — fewer than about 500 cells per microliter of blood — bacteria normally present in your mouth and digestive tract can cause infections.
- 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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