Sunday, February, 12, 2012

Blood differential

Table of Contents

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:

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

A decreased percentage of neutrophils may be due to:

  • Aplastic anemia
  • Chemotherapy
  • Influenza or other viral infection
  • 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)

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
  • Collagen vascular disease
  • Parasitic infection

A decreased percentage of basophils may be due to:

  • Acute allergic reaction

Review Date: 02/13/2011
Reviewed By: 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.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org)