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Blood differential - Results

Alternative Names

Differential; White blood cell differential count

Normal Values:

Neutrophils: 40% to 60%
Lymphocytes: 20% to 40%
Monocytes: 2% to 8%
Eosinophils: 1% to 4%
Basophils: 0.5% to 1%
Band (young neutrophil): 0% to 3%

What abnormal results mean:

Any infection or acute stress increases your number of white blood cells. High white blood cell counts may be due to inflammation, an immune response, or blood diseases such as leukemia.

It is important to realize that an abnormal increase in one type of white blood cell can cause a decrease in the percentage of other types of white blood cells.

An increased percentage of neutrophils may be due to:

A decreased percentage of neutrophils may be due to:

Aplastic anemia
Chemotherapy
Influenza
Widespread bacterial infection
Radiation therapy or exposure

An increased percentage of lymphocytes may be due to:

Chronic bacterial infection
Infectious hepatitis
Infectious mononucleosis
Lymphocytic leukemia
Multiple myeloma
Viral infection (such as infectious mononucleosis, mumps, measles)
Recovery from a bacterial infection

A decreased percentage of lymphocytes may be due to:

Chemotherapy
HIV infection
Leukemia
Radiation therapy or exposure
Sepsis

An increased percentage of monocytes may be due to:

Chronic inflammatory disease
Parasitic infection
Tuberculosis
Viral infection (for example, infectious mononucleosis, mumps, measles)

An increased percentage of eosinophils may be due to:

Allergic reaction
Cancer
Parasitic infection
Hodgkin's disease

A decreased percentage of basophils may be due to:

Acute allergic reaction

Basophil (close-up)

Formed elements of blood

Reviewed last on: 2/23/2009
David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

References

Bagby GC. Leukopenia and leukocytosis. In: Goldman L, Ausiello D, eds. Cecil Medicine. 23rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2007:chap 173.

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