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Constantly recurring infections are not always associated with the fall-winter period. Sometimes viral infections intertwined with bacterial and fungal infections may indicate abnormal concentrations of some blood components, such as e.g. neutrophils. What are they, what functions do they perform in the body and what are the standards for their concentration in the blood?
How does the immune system work?
To protect our body against bacteria, viruses and fungi, we have two types of immunity – acquired and innate. In order to build acquired immunity, organism infections are essential. It is not for nothing that it is said that in order for a child to stop getting infections, it must first go through a whole cycle of diseases.
When our body experiences an attack from a pathogenic microorganism, it begins to build a protective barrier, which will make the infection caused by a given virus or bacterium less dangerous for us in the future. Unfortunately the cycle of acquiring immunity takes quite a long time. Experts assume that full acquired immunity we experience only after the age of 20. No wonder that the diseases most often affect young children whose immune systems are not fully developed.
Odporność wrodzona
However, a situation in which we are in no way protected against disease is impossible. For this we have innate immunity, i.e. a set of characteristics of our body that protect us against attacks by viruses, bacteria and fungi. Innate immunity consists of three defense zones: skin and mucous membranes, phagocytes and lymphocytes.
The skin’s greatest protective barrier is its acidic reaction, which prevents bacteria and viruses from surviving. The substances produced by the body, such as urine, sweat and tears, are detrimental to their functioning and development, along with which microorganisms that are harmful to our health are excreted.
However, if pathogens pass through the first protective barrier, phagocytes also called food cells. Start producing substances that attract viruses, bacteria and fungi to catch and absorb them. During your activity phagocytes wytwarzają też pirogeny, czyli substancje, które odpowiadają za wzrost temperatury ciała i rozwój gorączki, która dla chorobotwórczych drobnoustrojów również jest śmiertelna.
The final barrier of protection is leukocytes, or white blood cells, which go into action when an infection in the body develops for good. The leukocytes include, among others neutrophils.
What are neutrophils?
Neutrofile, inaczej granulocyty obojętnochłonne, stanowią jedną z grup białych krwinek. Pełnią one znaczącą rolę w odpowiedzi odpornościowej organizmu. Udział neutrofili w procesach immunologicznych wynika z umiejętności wychwytywania i niszczenia obcych antygenów, w tym patogennej flory bakteryjnej. Poziom neutrofilów oznacza się przy pomocy zwykłego morphological research blood drawn from a vein in the patient’s arm.
Neutrofile – normy
Examination of the level of neutrophils is useful in determining the patient’s immunity or when certain diseases are suspected. The analysis is carried out on an empty stomach (at least 8 hours after the last meal), and the patient should inform the doctor about his state of health and the medications taken.
The value of 1800-8000 / µl is considered to be the correct concentration of neutrophils. Sometimes their level is determined as a percentage – then neutrophils should be about 60-70 percent. all white blood cells.
If the test results are lowered or elevated, you should immediately consult a physician who will take into account the overall picture of the patient’s condition, make an appropriate diagnosis and introduce appropriate treatment.
High levels of neutrophils
High levels of neutrophils persist as the body develops a disease state. It may indicate:
- acute bacterial infection
- infekcjęgrzybiczą,
- high levels of stress or excessive physical exertion,
- high levels of corticosteroids (due to an overactive adrenal cortex or corticotherapy)
- rheumatoid arthritis,
- gout,
- a large loss of blood,
- poisoning,
- diabetic ketoacid
- neoplastic disease.
It happens that the ambient temperature is too high or too low behind the increase in the level of neutrophils. Occasionally, elevated outcomes may be due to developing pregnancy, post-traumatic condition, heavy metal poisoning, and smoking.
Low levels of neutrophils
The likely reason for the low levels of neutrophils is chemotherapy or radiation therapy. This condition may also result from other factors, including:
- Kostmann’s disease (a rare immune deficiency syndrome)
- leukemia,
- myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS),
- myelofibrosis (bone marrow fibrosis),
- chronic idiopathic neutropenia in adults
- excessive alcohol consumption,
- vitamin deficiencies,
- viral infection (e.g. hepatitis A, B or C, HIV / AIDS)
- bacterial infections (salmonella),
- taking certain medications (including antibiotics),
- rheumatoid arthritis,
- hypersplenism (large spleen syndrome).
Neutrophils in a child
Parents are often concerned about having high or low levels of neutrophils in their child’s blood results. Meanwhile, the reasons for such results in small patients are quite different from those in adults.
Lowered neutrophils in a child are most often indicative of previous viral infection. It may also be associated with developing hypothyroidism, autoimmune disease, leukemia or bacterial infection.
In turn, elevated neutrophils in a child may result from the onset of inflammation, but also be associated with Cushing’s syndrome, haemolytic anemia, increased exercise or prolonged stress.
Zaburzenia w poziomie neutrofili są często następstwem stanów chorobowych, z którymi boryka się organizm, istnieje natomiast małe prawdopodobieństwo niespodziewanego wykrycia odstępstw od norm podczas rutynowego badania. Określenie odsetka neutrofili we krwi oraz przeprowadzenie innych badań, jest pomocne w znalezieniu przyczyn choroby.
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