White blood cells are colorless blood elements. Often they are called white blood cells or white blood cells. In humans, there are several types of white blood cells, they move not only in the bloodstream, but can also penetrate through the walls of blood vessels into cells of different organs. This behavior is related to their purpose. The most important function of these cells is to protect the body from foreign agents (both internal and external).
Types of white blood cells and their functions
Having received the results of tests in their hands, many pay attention to the main indicators, and first of all to white blood cells in the blood. The numbers are increased for various reasons. With a detailed study, you can find different ratios of leukocyte groups.
To determine the patient’s state of health, it is important for a specialist to determine the level of presence of such white bodies in the blood:
- Neutrophils. The production of this type of white blood cells is made in the bone marrow. They are divided into two subspecies - immature and mature. The main function is the destruction and digestion of foreign agents, the production of antimicrobial substances, and detoxification of the body. The number of neutrophils in the blood is 1-5% of the total leukocyte mass. This type of cell is an indicator of the intensity of blood formation. With significant blood loss, the number of mature neutrophils is significantly inferior to the number of immature cells. The higher the number, the larger the loss of blood and the more intensive its renewal. With the help of these active “fighters” pus is formed - it is spent neutrophils excreted along with aggressive bacteria / viruses.
- Basophils make up 0.5% of the total leukocyte volume. These cells migrate from the bloodstream to tissues, contain histamine and heparin in the composition, and are responsible for the manifestation of allergic reactions in the body.
- Eosinophils, their number is 1-5% of the total mass of leukocytes in the body. The functions of cells of this class include the elimination of excess histamine and the formation of allergic reactions. When the body is affected by helminths, eosinophils, penetrating through the walls of the intestine, release toxic substances incompatible with the life of parasites.
- Monocytes (1-8% in the leukocyte mass) during the course of life go to the stage of macrophages, after which they absorb and destroy all kinds of pathogens. This type of cell extends its “attention” to all tissues and organs.
- Lymphocytes are the guardians of the body’s immune and protective systems, for this reason they make up the lion's share of all white blood cells - they contain about 35% of their total amount in the blood of one person. Lymphocytes produce antibodies to foreign agents. This type of cell is present in organs, tissues, blood and tracks the mutations of the cells of your own body, the invasion of viruses, bacteria. Another important task is the interaction with macrophages, which collect harmful elements and report their presence to lymphocytes.
Normal limits
Elevated white blood cells have certain numbers and signal the presence of a pathogen. To find out in which case it is worth taking decisive measures for further diagnosis or treatment, you need to know the normal number of white blood cells in the total blood volume is shown.
For men and women, 4000–9000 white blood cells in one milliliter of blood are considered the norm. Small fluctuations in the direction of decrease or increase are not cause for alarm. During the day, the numbers tend to change. The fluctuation depends on physical activity, the quantity and quality of food taken, emotional and hormonal levels, and many other factors. In women, the number of white blood cells changes sharply during pregnancy, menstruation.
Significant deviations in the indicators are a signal of the development of pathology, usually two studies are done to control within a few days. If the trend continues or shows negative progress, the doctor prescribes additional tests to determine the cause of the disease. Leukocytosis is not a disease, but a "signal flag" indicating the development of pathology or changes occurring in the body.
Reasons for the increase
A condition where leukocytes are elevated is called leukocytosis. In a blood test, the total number of white bodies will be significantly greater than 9000 units in 1 milliliter of blood. For the doctor, this means that the patient is sick. In particular, it could be:
- Infection, oncopathology, inflammation, leukemia.
- Blood loss or a consequence of taking medications.
Further decryption provides a larger field for clarification and diagnosis:
- An increase in the number of neutrophils may indicate pneumonia, meningitis, sepsis, abscess, pyelonephritis, meningitis, etc.
- If the leukocytes of the eosinophil group are elevated, then it is worth concentrating on the detection of bronchial asthma, helminthiasis, allergies, leukemia, neoplasms, etc.
- Monocytes react with an increased content in diseases with tuberculosis, mononucleosis, malaria, and lymphogranulomatosis. They are also an indicator of autoimmune pathologies - sarcoidosis, vasculitis, lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis.
- Lymphocytes with indicators above the norm indicate whooping cough, leukemia, syphilis, tuberculosis, viral hepatitis, etc.
- Basophils rarely increase and only with a limited number of diseases - allergies, certain types of leukemia, lymphogranulomatosis, and also with thyroid insufficiency.
Each doctor will say that elevated white blood cells are far from always a sign of a disease. The reason may lie in the finger healing after the cut or adaptation of the body after a trip to the southern regions.
The nuances of the female body
Women are often worried that their white blood cells are elevated. In most cases, an increase in the number of white blood cells is associated with prosaic reasons, as the woman’s body is more prone to change.
Leukocytosis of a temporary nature can occur for the following reasons:
- Pregnancy.
- Tribal activity.
- Hearty lunch, spicy, spicy or salty foods.
- Menstruation.
- Physical activity or heavy exercise.
- Increased emotional background, stress.
- Hot tub, cold tub.
In women's blood tests, white blood cells are often elevated, and, first of all, this is due to a change in the hormonal background.
White blood cells and pregnancy
During pregnancy, hormonal status changes dramatically. There is a restructuring of all systems and, above all, the immune system. Therefore, leukocytes are always elevated in the blood of pregnant women.
For each trimester of pregnancy, there are their own indicators of the norm of leukocytes:
- In the first period: 3-9 * 109 / l.
- In the second trimester, indicators are identical to the previous period, but fluctuations in any direction are allowed.
- In the last period of pregnancy, the norm indicators significantly increase and amount to 11-15 * 109 / l.
If a blood test shows large deviations, then this is an occasion for an in-depth study of the condition of a woman and a child. A low white blood cell count is just as dangerous as an increased white blood cell count in women. The reasons may lie in diseases that threaten the life and health of mother and baby. The task of the doctor in a short time is to determine the diagnosis, find the cause of leukocytosis and eliminate it.
Child health
Conscientious and loving parents often lament when they reveal elevated white blood cells in a child. It is not worthwhile to take lightly on the research data, but the excitement is often not justified.
Normal indicators of the level of leukocytes in a child, depending on age, are as follows:
- In the first year of life: 9.2x10⁹k / l - 18.8x10⁹k / l.
- 1-2 years: 6x10⁹k / l - 12x10⁹k / l.
- 2-4 years: 5.5x10⁹k / l - 15.5x10⁹k / l.
- 4-6 years: 5x10⁹k / l - 14.5x10⁹k / l.
- 6-10 years: 4.5x10⁹k / l - 13.5x10⁹k / l.
- 10-16 years: 4.5x10⁹k / l - 13x10⁹k / l.
- From 16 and older: 4x10⁹k / l - 10x10⁹k / l.
Physiological fluctuations
The child’s immune system is formed for a long time and reacts violently to any changes. A small cut can cause a leukocytosis surge. Adults often try to understand how bad that white blood cells are elevated, what this means in each case.
The list of reactions of the child’s immune system is very extensive and includes even harmless things, for example:
- The introduction of complementary foods.
- Drug response.
- Too hot bath.
- Emotional background.
- Climate change and adaptation period.
- A sharp change in the weather.
- A long walk in the cold season.
- Excessive mobility, etc.
These and many other everyday situations help the child to adapt to the environment, and the immune system to develop the necessary number of protective mechanisms, including all types of white blood cells.
White blood cells in the urine of a child
Often, white blood cells are found in urine tests of infants. What does elevated white blood cells mean in this case? Such results are due to the fact that the kidneys still cannot fully cope with their functions. This does not pose any threat to the health of the child, the permissible norm varies from 1 to 8 cells in the field of view. The same indicator can be during teething.
Signs of illness
Careful attention to the health of the child is required when the white blood cells are elevated for a long time, and all the symptoms of the disease are on the face - lethargy, fever, dermatitis, cough, etc.
The causes of leukocytosis can be:
- Infection, including acute respiratory infections, acute respiratory viral infections, chickenpox, etc.
- Infection with helminths, in this case the level of eosinophils will be increased.
- Allergy research also shows eosinophilia.
- Any injury, even a small puncture of the skin will cause a violent response of the body in the form of leukocytosis.
- Decreased spleen function will lead to elevated levels of white blood cells. In this body, leukocyte utilization occurs, any malfunctioning will lead to an increase in the number of leukocytes.
More serious diseases will appear in a clinical blood test by an increase in certain groups of white blood cells. Red blood cells will appear in large numbers with blood loss, cancer pathologies will manifest themselves as monocytosis, and blood cancer with leukemia, basophils will increase with thyroid dysfunctions, and so on.
The doctor’s task is to prescribe a sufficient number of tests and further diagnose the condition of the child to identify the cause of leukocytosis. Physiological fluctuations indicate the normal development of the child; they do not require correction or treatment. In other cases, it is necessary to go through the whole complex of studies.
White blood cells in the urine
The best indicator of the level of leukocytes in the urine is their complete absence. Therefore, any number will be a deviation of varying degrees, but small inclusions have explanations and do not cause anxiety among physicians.
The physiological causes of the appearance of leukocytes in urine include:
- Penetration of a small amount of white blood cells through the wall of the vessel and their entry into the urine.
- Detected cells belong to the group of lymphocytes that oversee processes in the body.
Normal indicators of the number of leukocytes in the urine in women are considered to be 6 units in the field of view, and in men - no more than 3 units. Indicators above the permissible norm require clarification of the causes, the search for the disease and a thorough diagnosis.
Leukocyturia
The detection of a large number of white blood cells in the urine causes justifiable anxiety in doctors and patients. The kidneys and the entire urinary system are organs through which the utilization of white blood cells does not occur, which means that you need to look for the causes of elevated white blood cells in the urine and blood.
The list of the most likely causes includes the following diseases and conditions:
- Infection, inflammation (otitis media, prostatitis, tonsillitis, urethritis, etc.).
- Weakened immunity after surgery.
- Diabetes mellitus, pregnancy.
- Blood diseases, stress, trauma.
- Radiation therapy, urolithiasis.
- Chronic diseases in the acute stage.
- Pregnancy, prolapse of the kidney, stagnation of urine.
- Cystitis, pyelonephritis, tuberculosis of a specific etiology.
- Prostatitis, gynecological diseases, etc.
The detection of a large number of white blood cells in the blood is a sign of a serious disease with which the immune system can no longer cope and has almost exhausted its entire resource. The patient requires a thorough diagnosis and high-quality treatment with repeated blood and urine tests.