QandAs: Health

What Is Neutropenia?

Answer:
Neutropenia is a hematological disorder that is characterized by an abnormally low number of neutrophil granulocytes (a type of white blood cell).

Neutrophils are the primary defense against infections by destroying bacteria found in the blood. They make up 50-70 percent of circulating white blood cells.

Patients who suffer from this condition are more susceptible to bacterial infections. If they fail to get medical attention, the condition can easily become life threatening. Depending on the length of the condition, neutropenia can either be acute or chronic. The condition is considered to be chronic if it lasts for longer than three months. It is also considered to be a subset of the condition leucopenia.

There are multiple causes of neutropenia. They can be roughly divided between problems in the production of these cells by the blood marrow and destruction of the cells elsewhere in the body. Treatment will vary based on the cause of the condition, and most treatments will emphasize the prevention and treatment of infection.

Often this condition will go undetected, and then be discovered later when a patient develops severe infections or sepsis. One odd things that may lead to diagnosis is the lack of pus formation, as the formation of pus requires circulating neutrophil granulocytes.