What conditions are associated with neutropenia?
Neutropenia can be present (though it is relatively uncommon) in normal healthy individuals, notably in blacks and Yemenite Jews. Causes of neutropenia from disease can be categorized as resulting from decreased production of white blood cells, destruction of white blood cells after they are produced, or pooling of white blood cells (accumulation of the white blood cells out of the circulation). Diseases causing decreased production of white blood cells include drug toxicity, vitamin deficiencies, and medical diseases such as blood diseases, infections (virus diseases, tuberculosis, typhoid), abnormalities of the bone marrow disorders, or be cyclic (varying in severity week to week, month to month, perhaps related to biorhythms). Destruction of white blood cells can occur as a result of antibodies attacking the cells (such as in Felty’s syndrome) or from drugs stimulating the immune system to attack the cells. Pooling of white blood cells occurs with some overwhelming infections, heart
