White Blood Cell Count Flashcards, test questions and answers
Discover flashcards, test exam answers, and assignments to help you learn more about White Blood Cell Count and other subjects. Don’t miss the chance to use them for more effective college education. Use our database of questions and answers on White Blood Cell Count and get quick solutions for your test.
What is White Blood Cell Count?
White Blood Cell Count, or WBC, is a medical measure of the number of circulating white blood cells in the body. White blood cells are key components of the immune system, commonly referred to as white blood cells because they appear light in color when seen through a microscope. The most common types of white blood cells are neutrophils, lymphocytes and monocytes. Neutrophils are responsible for engulfing and destroying bacteria and other foreign particles that enter the body. Lymphocytes help fight virus infections by recognizing foreign organisms and producing antibodies to destroy them. Monocytes help clean up dead cells and other debris from the bloodstream. A normal WBC count should range between 4000 to 11000 cells per microliter in adults. Abnormal WBC counts can indicate various health conditions ranging from bacterial infections to anaemia or even cancerous conditions like leukaemia or lymphoma. A high WBC count may be indicative of an infection, while a low count may suggest a weakened immune system due to age or illness such as HIV/AIDS or chemotherapy treatment for cancer patients. A doctor will usually order a complete blood count (CBC) test which measures not only the WBC count but also red cell counts (RBC), hemoglobin levels (HGB) and platelet counts (PLT). The CBC test also provides information on differential cell counts which gives specific numbers for each type of white cell present in circulation at any given time. This can give doctors more information on certain illnesses than just measuring an overall white cell count alone would provide. Overall, measuring the white cell count is important in diagnosing many different kinds of health problems ranging from minor infections to major diseases such as cancer or autoimmune disorders like lupus or rheumatoid arthritis.