Lymphocytes are a type of white blood cell. Like other white blood cells, lymphocytes function as part of the body's immune system. Lymphocytes consist of three types, namely B cells, T cells and natural killer cells.
Lymphocytes help fight and prevent bacterial and viral infections in the body, and help fight cancer. If the number of lymphocytes decreases, the body's ability to fight infection will be disrupted. In addition, the body can become more vulnerable to cancer. Conditions with low lymphocyte levels are called lymphocytopenia or lymphopenia.
The condition for lymphopenia occurs in adults if the lymphocytes in the blood are below 1,500 per microliter of blood. Whereas in children will be considered to have lymphopenia if the level of lymphocytes is below 3,000 per microliter of blood. The number of lymphocytes that are less than the normal limit, it is feared will result in the body vulnerable to infection and also more at risk of cancer, and damage to various organs. Symptoms of lymphopenia are usually not typical and are often found during blood tests for other diseases, such as infections.
Various conditions cause low lymphocytes
Low lymphocytes are caused by various factors. Here are some of the causes of decreased lymphocytes that are often found:- Autoimmune diseases, such as Lupus
- HIV infection (human immunodeficiency virus). This viral infection can cause AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome), in which the number of certain lymphocyte cells continues to decline.
- Bacterial and fungal infections.
- Malnutrition.
- Side effects of chemotherapy and radiation therapy.
- Excessive stress.
- Leukemia (blood cancer).
- Aplastic anemia, due to disruption of the production of blood cells in the bone marrow.
- Side effects of drugs that destroy lymphocytes or damage the bone marrow.
- Congenital disease that affects lymphocytes.
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