A high white blood cell count is known by the medical name of leukocytosis and can be present for a number of reasons. One cause of leukocytosis is bacterial infections, including yeast infections and impetigo. Other causes are allergic disorders such as asthma, hay fever and dermatitis.
There are occasions when a high white blood cell count can be caused by leukaemia and chronic infections such as malaria, bacterial endocarditis and tuberculosis. The reason people suffer from a high white blood cell count can also vary. The most common reasons are an increased release of leukocytes, which are found throughout the body. These leukocytes are released from the storage pools found in the bone marrow. Other reasons include the increase of precursor cells in the marrow, and a decreased number of leukocytes on the vessel walls.
There are also a few medications that can cause the white blood cell count to increase, including lithium and corticosteroids. Leukocytosis is classed as a laboratory discovery and is similar in classification to a fever, which is also not recognized medically as an actual disease. A count of between 25 and 30 is classed as a leukemoid reaction, which is a reaction of the bone marrow to stressful situations, trauma or infections.
Leukemia, although it can be a cause of a high white blood cell count, is when the white blood cells are present in the peripheral blood. There are two types of leukemia, acute leukemia, when the white blood cells are immature, and chronic leukemia which is when the white blood cells are mature but not functioning. There are a number of medications available to lower the white blood cell count and these are normally prescribed after visiting a doctor, who can establish the cause of the high white blood cell count.
There are occasions when a high white blood cell count can be caused by leukaemia and chronic infections such as malaria, bacterial endocarditis and tuberculosis. The reason people suffer from a high white blood cell count can also vary. The most common reasons are an increased release of leukocytes, which are found throughout the body. These leukocytes are released from the storage pools found in the bone marrow. Other reasons include the increase of precursor cells in the marrow, and a decreased number of leukocytes on the vessel walls.
There are also a few medications that can cause the white blood cell count to increase, including lithium and corticosteroids. Leukocytosis is classed as a laboratory discovery and is similar in classification to a fever, which is also not recognized medically as an actual disease. A count of between 25 and 30 is classed as a leukemoid reaction, which is a reaction of the bone marrow to stressful situations, trauma or infections.
Leukemia, although it can be a cause of a high white blood cell count, is when the white blood cells are present in the peripheral blood. There are two types of leukemia, acute leukemia, when the white blood cells are immature, and chronic leukemia which is when the white blood cells are mature but not functioning. There are a number of medications available to lower the white blood cell count and these are normally prescribed after visiting a doctor, who can establish the cause of the high white blood cell count.