What happens if white blood cells are reduced?

White blood cells are a very important and indispensable type of cells in the human body. They are like generals charging into battle, winning every battle against diseases. White blood cells play an irreplaceable role in the human immune system. When foreign bodies invade, white blood cells will quickly eliminate the invading "uninvited guests". Therefore, when the number of white blood cells decreases, the body's immune function is the first to be affected. Once the immunity decreases, the ability to fight against viruses and bacteria will become much weaker, and the body's adaptability to the external environment will also decrease accordingly.

What are the dangers of leukopenia in the human body? Leukocytes are white blood cells, a type of immune cell in the blood. The most direct function of leukocytes is to phagocytize foreign matter, heal wounds, and resist the invasion of pathogens into the body. The normal blood cell count is 4000-10000/UL (microliter). The number of white blood cells in the blood varies greatly at different times of the day and in different functional states of the body. When the count exceeds 10,000 per microliter, it is called leukocytosis; when it is less than 4,000 per microliter, it is called leukopenia. Leukocytopenia can be hereditary, familial, acquired, etc. Drugs, radiation, infection, toxins, etc. can all cause granulocytopenia, with drug-induced granulocytosis being the most common.

White blood cells can phagocytize foreign matter and produce antibodies, playing an important role in healing body injuries, resisting the invasion of pathogens and immunity to diseases. White blood cells are part of the immune system and help the body fight infection and foreign substances. Under normal circumstances, the number of white blood cells in a healthy adult is 4×10^9 to 11×10^9 per liter of blood. In simple terms, having a low white blood cell count means you are more susceptible to infectious diseases.

Since white blood cells are responsible for the body's immunity, a decrease in white blood cells will reduce the body's immune ability. Mild deficiency is called granulocytopenia, and severe deficiency (less than 1.5) is called agranulocytosis, which is very dangerous and can cause serious infection and death.

Leukocytopenia generally has non-specific symptoms such as dizziness, fatigue, soreness of limbs, loss of appetite, low fever, insomnia, etc. A few are asymptomatic, while some patients have recurrent oral ulcers, lung infections or urinary tract infections. Leukopenia and granulocytosis usually have an acute onset and are often accompanied by high fever, chills, headache, fatigue or extreme weakness.

Sometimes necrotic ulcers may occur in the mucous membranes of the mouth, nose, skin, rectum, anus, and vagina. People who are allergic to the drug may also develop exfoliative dermatitis, and in severe cases, central nervous system symptoms may occur. Septicemia or sepsis often develops rapidly and leads to death.