What happens if you have low neutrophils

Talk with your health care team about any symptoms you have or any changes in symptoms. While taking chemotherapy, sometimes your neutrophil level does not return to normal fast enough. Or you develop neutropenia.

In this case, your doctor may take certain precautions, including:. If you have neutropenia with a fever, your doctor may give you medications called white blood cell growth factors. These drugs help the body make more white blood cells. If you have neutropenia, practice good personal hygiene to lower your risk of infection. This includes washing your hands regularly and staying away from people who are sick.

This 1-page printable PDF introduction to neutropenia includes possible causes, symptoms, how it is diagnosed, treatment options, words to know, and questions to ask the healthcare team. Neutropenia Approved by the Cancer. Signs and symptoms of neutropenia Neutropenia itself may not cause any symptoms. Having neutropenia increases your risk for many types of infection. Congenital neutropenia is present at birth. Severe congenital neutropenia is also called Kostmann syndrome.

It causes very low neutrophil levels and in some cases, complete lack of neutrophils. This puts infants and young children at risk for serious infections. Cyclic neutropenia is present at birth and causes neutrophil counts to vary in a day cycle. A period of neutropenia may last a few days, followed by normal levels for the rest of the cycle.

The cycle then begins again. With autoimmune neutropenia, your body makes antibodies that fight your neutrophils. These antibodies kill the neutrophils, causing neutropenia. Autoimmune neutropenia is most common in infants and young children, with the average age of diagnosis between 7 and 9 months. Neutropenia symptoms can range from mild to severe. The lower the level of neutrophils, the more intense the symptoms. Severe congenital neutropenia can have serious symptoms.

The symptoms often include bacterial infections. These infections can grow on the skin and in the digestive and respiratory systems. The symptoms of cyclic neutropenia recur in 3-week cycles. Infections can increase when neutrophil levels fall.

The symptoms of autoimmune and idiopathic neutropenia include infections. Some autoimmune conditions can target neutrophils, reducing their number. These conditions include:. Premature babies are more likely to be born with neutropenia than babies born near their due date.

The condition affects 6 to 8 percent of newborns in neonatal intensive care units. As a general rule, the smaller the baby, the more likely they are to have neutropenia. He said:. When someone is neutropenic, severe infections can develop rapidly and become overwhelming in the space of minutes to hours.

In contrast, having too few basophils or eosinophils will not expose you to much harm in the short term. Neutropenia itself does not present any symptoms. Often it is spotted during routine blood tests or tests for another condition.

For this reason and others, patients undergoing chemotherapy — who are most at risk from the condition — will have regular blood tests. The most serious concern with neutropenia is contracting an infection, which can easily spread throughout the body without adequate neutrophil numbers to control it.

If an infection takes hold, there is a risk of febrile neutropenia, also referred to as neutropenic sepsis. This condition is a medical emergency and occurs most commonly in cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. Mortality rates range from 2 to 21 percent.

The treatment of neutropenia will depend on the underlying reason for the disorder. Medical treatments to help reduce the impact of neutropenia include:. Approach to the adult with unexplained neutropenia. Goldman L, et al. Leukocytosis and leukopenia. In: Goldman-Cecil Medicine. Philadelphia, Pa. Bope ET, et al. In: Conn's Current Therapy McPherson RA, et al. Leukocytic disorders. Louis, Mo. See also Pediatric white blood cell disorders. Mayo Clinic Press Check out these best-sellers and special offers on books and newsletters from Mayo Clinic.