High Leukocytes: Causes and Symptoms

In each microliter of adult blood, there are normally 3,500-10,500 white blood cells or leukocytes. But if the leukocyte count is too high, it's a sign that we have certain diseases.
Leukocytes or white blood cells come from the bone marrow and circulate throughout the bloodstream. They are an important part of our immune system. This blood part is able to produce antibodies to fight foreign organisms (viruses, bacteria and parasites) as a defense against infection, respond to allergies, and support immune function.


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Newborns have leukocytes between 9,000 and 30,000 per microliter of blood. This range of normal leukocyte counts will change with age, to only 3,500-10,500 per microliter when we are adults. In adults, the number of white blood cells or leukocytes is high if it reaches more than 11,000 per microliter. There are several things that can cause an increase in the number of leukocytes.

High Leukocyte Causes

White blood cells or leukocytes consist of five components, namely neutrophils, lymphocytes, monocytes, eosinophils, and basophils. Normally, leukocytes consist of 40% -60% neutrophils, 20% -40% lymphocytes, 2% -8% monocytes, 1% -4% eosinophils, and 0.5% -1% basophils. Here are some of the causes of increasing the number of leukocyte components more than the normal threshold.
If the neutrophil count is high:

• Acute bacterial, viral or fungal infections.
• Physical injury, postoperative recovery or wound healing.
• Thyroid inflammation .
• Rheumatoid arthritis , rheumatic fever.
• Chronic myelocytic leukemia.
• Uric acid.
• Eclampsia, convulsions or coma in pregnant women.
• Acute stress. 

If the lymphocyte count is high:

• Viral infections, such as measles or mumps.
• Bacterial infections, such as whooping cough (pertussis) and tuberculosis.
• Blood cancers, like multiple myeloma and lymphocytic leukemia.
• Lymphoma.
• Glandular fever (mononucleosis).
• Hepatitis due to viral or bacterial infection.

If the number of monocytes is high:

• Viral infections, such as measles, mumps, and mononucleosis.
• Chronic bacterial infections.
• Tuberculosis .
• Parasitic infections.
• Leukemia .
• Chronic inflammation, such as lupus, vasculitis , and rheumatoid arthritis.

If the eosinophil count is high:

• Parasitic infections.
• Hypereosinophilia syndrome.
• Connective tissue disease .
• Cancer, such as chronic myelogenic leukemia.
• Allergic reactions, such as eczema or asthma.
• Addison's disease .

If the number of basophils is high:

• Allergic reaction.
• Chicken pox.
• Myeloproliferative disease, which is a disease of the bone marrow.
• Chronic inflammation, as in rheumatoid arthritis and ulcerative colitis .
• Chronic myelogenic leukemia. Recovery from splenectomy, a surgical procedure to remove the spleen. 

In addition to the various things above, high leukocytes can also be caused by smoking, taking certain drugs such as corticosteroids and epinephrine, and myelofibrosis, namely abnormalities in the bone marrow that interfere with normal blood cell production.
So basically, the number of white blood cells or high leukocytes shows:

• Increased production of white blood cells to fight infection.
• Immune system disorders that make white blood cell production increase. 
• Reaction to drugs that increase white blood cell production. 
• Bone marrow disease that causes white blood cell production to rise abnormally.

Symptoms of High Leukocytes or Lecocytosis

High leukocytes, or also called leukocytosis, are not always symptomatic. But common symptoms that can be recognized are:

• Fever.
• Bleeding or bruising. 
• The body feels weak, tired, or sick. 
• Feeling dizzy, fainting, or sweating. 
• Your arms, legs, or stomach feel pain or tingling. 
• Difficulty breathing, concentrating, or disturbed views. 
• Weight loss without cause. 
• No appetite.

If you experience the symptoms above, consult a doctor immediately. The cause of high leukocytes needs to get the appropriate examination and treatment. After the doctor performs a physical examination and blood test, treatment will be given based on the underlying causes of high leukocyte.

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