TLC test and all inclusive guide to leukocytosis

What is Leukocytosis?

Leukocytes are white blood cell (WBC) that help in prevention of diseases and infection in your body by protecting it. 

Leukocytosis is a medical condition defined by higher levels of leukocytes within the blood. Even though this usually happens when you are ill, it can also occur due to numerous physiological reasons like stress, pregnancy etc.

 In this blog, we will take an overview of the types, symptoms, causes, along with diagnosis.

Types of Leukocytosis

You’d find five different types of leukocytosis and the numerous health conditions they are linked with:

• Neutrophilia: bacterial infections & inflammations
• Lymphocytosis: viral infections , tuberculosis and chronic leukemia
• Monocytosis: infections such as infectious mononucleosis.
• Eosinophilia: allergies and parasitic infection

What are the symptoms of Leukocytosis?

When there are increased levels of white blood cells within your body, they can make your blood thicker, which can adversely affect flow of blood. 

It can cause a condition known as hypervicosity syndrome. Even though it can happen with leukemia, it is quite rare. 

This medical condition can cause numerous critical issues such as:

• Vision issues
• Stroke
• Bleeding from the mouth, intestines or stomach
• Difficulty in breathing

Leukocytosis can also lead to symptoms. This can be associated with the effects of the particular type of white blood cell which is higher or any ongoing health conditions that can cause leukocytosis. 

A few common symptoms are:

• Easy bruising
• Pain
• Fever
• Wheezing
• Weight loss
• Difficulty in breathing
• Night sweats
• Hives and itching

Please remember that you might not face any symptoms if your leukocytosis occur due to stress or an allergic reaction to a medicine. 

What are the causes of Leukocytosis?

The causes of leukocytosis are generally categorized by the particular type of white blood cells that’s increased. 

A few common causes of neutrophilia are:

• Smoking
• Infections
• Removal of spleen
• Physical or emotional stress
• Specific types of leukemia
• Chronic inflammation caused due to arthritis, injuries or any other inflammatory conditions
• A reaction to medicines which may be inclusive of steroids, lithium or specific types of inhalers

Some of the potential causes of lymphocytosis are:

• tuberculosis
• Viral infections
• Specific types of leukemia
• whooping cough
• Allergic  reactions

A few of the main causes of eosinophilia are:

• Parasitic infections
• Particular types of skin diseases
• Allergic reactions or allergies such as asthma or hay fever
• Lymphoma or  cancer of the lymphatic system

Some of the potential causes of monocytosis are:

• Tuberculosis
• Removal of spleen
• Fungal infections
• Autoimmune conditions such as ulcerative colitis or lupus
• Infections caused due to Epstein-Barr virus that includes mononucleosis

Possible causes of basophilia are Allergic Reactions,   Leukemia

Leukocytosis during pregnancy

It is considered very normal for expectant mothers to have increased levels of white blood cells.  These levels, usually, rise gradually during pregnancy Throughout the last trimester of pregnancy, the WBC count is typically between 5,800 and 13,200 per microliter of blood. 

Moreover, the stress caused due to labor and delivery may also lead to higher levels of white blood cells. 

The WBC count remains somewhat above normal for some time after the baby has been born and is generally around 12,700 per microliter of blood. 

Diagnosis of Leukocytosis

Generally white blood cell levels range between 4500 and 11,000 per microliter of blood for most healthy adults who are not expectant. 

 If your white blood cells are above this range, it can be an obvious sign of leukocytosis. 

If you have WBC counts between 50,000 and 100,000 per microliter of blood, it can imply that you may be suffering from a critical infection, solid tumor or organ rejection. 

Increased levels of WBC counts up to 100,000 generally only happen with conditions such as leukemia or other types of bone marrow and blood cancer. 

At Manipal TRUtest we provide tests to diagnose the causes of leukocytosis i.e. Complete Blood Count with Absolute White Blood Cells count, Peripheral Smear Examination, Bone Marrow & Biopsy with advanced technology like flow cytometry and IHC marker.