Blood differential

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Basophil (Close-up) Formed elements of blood

Overview Risks Results

Blood differential

• Neutrophils: 40% to 60%
• Lymphocytes: 20% to 40%
• Monocytes: 2% to 8%
• Eosinophils: 1% to 4%
• Basophils: 0.5% to 1%
• Band: 0% to 3%

Any infection or acute stress results in increased production of WBCs. This usually entails an increased numbers of cells and an increase in the percent of immature cells (mainly band cells) in the blood. High WBC counts may indicate the presence of an inflammatory and immune response, or it may result from other conditions such as leukemia.

It is important to realize that an abnormal increase in one type of leukocyte can produce an apparent decrease in the percentage of other types.

An increased percentage of neutrophils may indicate:

• Acute infection
• Eclampsia
• Gout
• Myelocytic leukemia
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Rheumatic fever
• Acute stress
• Thyroiditis
• Trauma

• Aplastic anemia
• Chemotherapy
• Influenza
• Overwhelming bacterial infection
• Radiation therapy

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

• Chemotherapy
• HIV infection
• Leukemia
• Radiation therapy
• Sepsis

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

• Allergic reaction
• Parasitic infection
• Hodgkin's disease

A decreased percentage of basophils may indicate an acute allergic reaction.

This test may be performed under many other conditions as well.

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