How do people describe neutropenia?
The major function of White Blood Cells (WBCs) is to defend the body against infection. There are many types of WBCs, each playing an important role in your bodys defense system. Neutrophils make up a large percentage of the total WBC, and protect against most types of infections. Neutrophils appear in greatest number in the circulating blood. Neutropenia occurs when there are a decreasing number of circulating neutrophils. Generally an absolute neutrophil count (ANC) of equal to or less than less 1,499 puts an individual at greater risk for developing an infection (see level of neutropenia below), with the greatest risk for persons with 500 or fewer neutrophils.
