WBC blood test: what a high or low white blood cell count means
White blood cell count (WBC) · Complete blood count (CBC) with differential · reported in cells/µL (equivalently ×10³/µL or ×10⁹/L; 7,500 cells/µL = 7.5 ×10⁹/L)
The white blood cell count (WBC) is the total number of white cells, the cells of your immune system, in a microlitre of blood. Normal for adults is roughly 4,000 to 11,000 cells/µL (written 4.0 to 11.0 ×10⁹/L on many reports). A high count (leukocytosis) most often means your body is fighting an infection or responding to inflammation, stress or a medication such as prednisone; a low count (leukopenia) most often follows a viral infection or a medication, and in a sizeable minority of people of African or Middle Eastern ancestry a mildly low count is simply their normal.
The total count is the sum of five cell types, and the breakdown (the differential) tells you more than the total. Neutrophils, 40 to 70 percent of the total, rise in bacterial infection and with steroids; lymphocytes, 20 to 40 percent, rise in viral infection and fall with steroids and HIV; monocytes, eosinophils and basophils make up the rest and have their own meanings. A WBC of 14,000 that is all neutrophils says something different from a WBC of 14,000 that is all lymphocytes.
Most abnormal counts are mild (11,000 to 17,000 or 3,000 to 4,000), transient and explained by something obvious. The values that need attention are a count above 30,000 with no clear infection, a count below 1,000 neutrophils, and any abnormal count that comes with abnormal red cells or platelets, since a problem across all three cell lines points to the bone marrow rather than to a passing illness.
WBC at a glance
- What it is: the total number of white blood cells per microlitre of blood; the differential splits it into neutrophils, lymphocytes, monocytes, eosinophils and basophils.
- Normal (adults): about 4,000–11,000 cells/µL (4.0–11.0 ×10⁹/L); some labs use 4,500–10,500 or 3,400–9,600. Children run higher.
- High WBC (leukocytosis, above 11,000) usually means infection, inflammation, physical or emotional stress, smoking, steroids or pregnancy; above 30,000 without an obvious cause, or above 50,000, needs a blood film and specialist review.
- Low WBC (leukopenia, below 4,000) usually means a recent viral infection, a medication, an autoimmune condition or benign ethnic neutropenia; a neutrophil count below 500 is a medical emergency if you have a fever.
- The pattern matters: high neutrophils favour bacterial infection, high lymphocytes viral infection or a lymphoid disorder, high eosinophils allergy or parasites.
- Next step: repeat in 1 to 4 weeks when well; if the abnormality persists, a blood film, CRP, B12/folate and a review of medications, with hematology referral for very high or very low counts or involvement of other cell lines.
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What WBC measures
White blood cells are made in the bone marrow and released into the blood, where they circulate briefly before moving into tissues. Neutrophils, the most numerous, live only 6 to 12 hours in the blood and are produced at about 100 billion a day; roughly half of the neutrophils in the blood at any moment are stuck to vessel walls (marginated) rather than flowing, and anything that releases them, such as adrenaline, exercise or steroids, raises the measured count within minutes without any new cells being made.
The analyzer counts white cells after breaking open the red cells, then sorts them into the five types by size, granularity and nuclear complexity using light scatter and fluorescence. The automated differential is reliable for normal samples; when the machine flags unusual cells it triggers a manual blood film, where a technologist or pathologist looks at the cells directly for immature forms (bands, metamyelocytes, blasts), abnormal lymphocytes or clumped platelets that can falsely alter the count.
The WBC has a daily rhythm, lowest in the morning and 1,000 to 2,000 higher in the late afternoon, and it rises with exercise, a large meal, pain, anxiety, smoking, pregnancy and the days after surgery or injury. The absolute neutrophil count (ANC), calculated as WBC multiplied by the percentage of neutrophils plus bands, is more useful than the total for judging infection risk when the count is low.
Normal range for WBC
Reference ranges vary between labs and by age, sex and pregnancy. Use the range printed on your own report.
| Group | Typical range (cells/µL (equivalently ×10³/µL or ×10⁹/L; 7,500 cells/µL = 7.5 ×10⁹/L)) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Adults, normal | About 4,000–11,000 cells/µL | Labs vary: 4,500–10,500 and 3,400–9,600 are also used. Use the range on your report. |
| Children 2–6 years | About 5,000–15,500 cells/µL | Lymphocytes predominate until about age 4 to 6, when neutrophils take over as the majority. |
| Infants 1–2 years | About 6,000–17,500 cells/µL | Newborns run 9,000–30,000 in the first days of life. |
| Pregnancy | Up to about 15,000 in the third trimester; up to 25,000–30,000 during and just after labour | A normal neutrophil-driven rise; it settles within a week of delivery. |
| Benign ethnic neutropenia (Duffy-null) | WBC 3,000–4,000 with neutrophils 1,000–1,500 cells/µL | Present in roughly a quarter to a half of people of African ancestry and some of Middle Eastern ancestry; carries no infection risk. |
| Mild leukocytosis | 11,000–17,000 cells/µL | Infection, inflammation, stress, smoking, steroids, obesity, pregnancy. Usually resolves on repeat. |
| Marked leukocytosis | Above 25,000–30,000 cells/µL | Severe infection, a leukemoid reaction, steroids plus infection, or a blood disorder; needs a blood film. |
| Hyperleukocytosis | Above 100,000 cells/µL | Almost always leukemia; above 50,000–100,000 in acute leukemia risks leukostasis (sludging in small vessels) and is an emergency. |
| Neutropenia | ANC below 1,500 mild; below 1,000 moderate; below 500 severe | Infection risk rises sharply below 500 cells/µL; fever with an ANC below 500 needs emergency care. |
High WBC (leukocytosis)
A high white count means the marrow is releasing more cells or cells are being shifted from vessel walls into the circulating pool. In most adults with a count of 11,000 to 17,000 the explanation is an infection (particularly bacterial), tissue inflammation or injury, recent surgery, a steroid tablet or injection, smoking, obesity, pregnancy or physical and emotional stress. These rises are mostly neutrophils, and the count normalises within days of the trigger resolving.
A count above 25,000 to 30,000 is a leukemoid reaction when it is driven by something outside the marrow: severe bacterial infection (pneumonia, Clostridioides difficile colitis, sepsis), major hemorrhage, severe burns, an abscess, or a solid tumour that secretes growth factors. The blood film typically shows immature neutrophil forms (a 'left shift') and toxic granulation, and the person is obviously unwell. Steroids given during an infection can push the count into this range even when the infection itself is mild.
A persistently high count in someone who feels well, especially above 30,000, with a high proportion of lymphocytes, basophils or immature cells, or with anemia or abnormal platelets, raises the question of a blood disorder: chronic lymphocytic leukemia (the most common leukemia in adults over 60, often found incidentally with a lymphocyte count above 5,000), chronic myeloid leukemia (counts of 50,000 to 300,000 with basophilia and an enlarged spleen), polycythemia vera or essential thrombocythemia, and acute leukemia when blasts are seen. These are diagnosed from the film, flow cytometry and genetic testing, not from the total count alone.
Common causes
Bacterial infection
Pneumonia, urinary and kidney infections, cellulitis, appendicitis, abscesses and sepsis raise neutrophils, typically to 12,000 to 25,000, with immature bands on the film. CRP rises in parallel. Overwhelming sepsis can paradoxically lower the count.
Viral infection and glandular fever
Most viruses lower or barely change the total, but Epstein-Barr virus (mononucleosis), cytomegalovirus, adenovirus and pertussis can raise it to 15,000 to 30,000 with a lymphocyte predominance and atypical lymphocytes.
Inflammation and tissue injury
Rheumatoid arthritis flares, inflammatory bowel disease, vasculitis, gout attacks, heart attack, burns, trauma and the 2 to 4 days after surgery all raise neutrophils through cytokine release.
Corticosteroids and other medications
Prednisone and dexamethasone release marginated neutrophils and delay their exit from blood, raising WBC by 2,000 to 5,000 within hours (sometimes to 20,000) while lowering lymphocytes and eosinophils. Lithium, beta-agonist inhalers, adrenaline and G-CSF injections also raise the count.
Physical or emotional stress and exercise
Adrenaline shifts cells off vessel walls within minutes: hard exercise, a seizure, a panic attack, labour and severe pain can push WBC to 15,000 to 20,000 for a few hours. This 'demargination' resolves without treatment.
Smoking
Smokers' white counts average 1,000 to 2,000 cells/µL (around 20 percent) higher than non-smokers', driven by airway inflammation. The count falls over 1 to 5 years after quitting.
Obesity and metabolic syndrome
Fat tissue releases interleukin-6 and other cytokines that raise neutrophil and monocyte production. WBC rises with BMI, and people with obesity commonly run 9,000 to 12,000; substantial weight loss lowers it by about 1,000.
Pregnancy and the post-partum period
Neutrophils rise from the second month, reaching 10,000 to 15,000 by the third trimester and up to 25,000 to 30,000 during labour, then settle within a week.
Allergy, asthma and parasites (eosinophilia)
Eosinophils above 500 cells/µL raise the total modestly in allergic rhinitis, asthma, eczema, drug reactions and intestinal parasites; counts above 1,500 for months (hypereosinophilia) need investigation.
Leukemia and myeloproliferative neoplasms
Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (lymphocytes above 5,000, often 20,000 to 100,000), chronic myeloid leukemia (50,000 to 300,000 with basophils and immature myeloid cells), polycythemia vera, essential thrombocythemia, myelofibrosis and acute leukemias (blasts on the film) produce sustained, often rising counts, usually with other cell lines affected.
Symptoms that can go with it
- Often none when the rise is mild; the count is found on a routine test
- Fever, chills, sweats and feeling unwell with infection
- Localised pain, redness, swelling or pus pointing to the infected or inflamed site
- Cough, breathlessness, burning urine or abdominal pain depending on the source
- Fatigue, night sweats, unexplained weight loss, bone pain or a full feeling under the left ribs (enlarged spleen) with blood disorders
- Easy bruising, bleeding gums or frequent infections if other cell lines are affected
- Headache, confusion, visual changes or breathlessness with counts above 100,000 (leukostasis)
Low WBC (leukopenia)
A low white count usually means a low neutrophil count (neutropenia), since neutrophils make up most of the total; less often it means low lymphocytes (lymphopenia). The commonest cause of a mildly low count in an otherwise well adult is a viral infection in the previous few weeks, including influenza, COVID-19, hepatitis, HIV and glandular fever, which suppress marrow output or shift neutrophils into tissues for a while. A repeat test 2 to 4 weeks later is normal in most cases.
The next most common explanations are medications and an inherited variant. Chemotherapy is the obvious one, but methotrexate, azathioprine, clozapine, carbimazole or propylthiouracil, sulfasalazine, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, carbamazepine, valproate and many others can lower neutrophils, from a mild dip to the near-total loss of agranulocytosis. Benign ethnic neutropenia, caused by the Duffy-null blood group variant, gives a lifelong neutrophil count of 1,000 to 1,500 cells/µL in a quarter to a half of people of African ancestry and some of Middle Eastern and West Indian ancestry, with no increased infection risk; it should be recognised rather than investigated.
Infection risk depends on the absolute neutrophil count, not the total WBC. An ANC above 1,000 carries little extra risk; between 500 and 1,000 the risk rises; below 500 the body cannot mount a normal response and a temperature of 38 °C or more is a medical emergency (febrile neutropenia) that requires antibiotics within an hour. A low count accompanied by anemia, low platelets, or both points to a marrow problem (aplastic anemia, myelodysplasia, leukemia, B12 or folate deficiency, hypersplenism) and needs a blood film and often a marrow examination.
Common causes
Viral infections
Influenza, COVID-19, RSV, hepatitis A, B and C, Epstein-Barr virus, cytomegalovirus, measles, dengue and HIV commonly lower WBC to 2,500 to 4,000 for one to several weeks. HIV causes a progressive lymphopenia (CD4 cells) and should be tested for in any unexplained low lymphocyte count.
Medications
Chemotherapy, methotrexate, azathioprine, mycophenolate, clozapine (agranulocytosis in about 0.8 percent in the first year, hence mandatory monitoring), carbimazole/methimazole and propylthiouracil, sulfasalazine, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, carbamazepine, valproate, rituximab, interferon, linezolid beyond two weeks and ganciclovir.
Benign ethnic neutropenia (Duffy-null phenotype)
A common inherited variant in people of African and some Middle Eastern ancestry in which neutrophils sit in tissues rather than blood. ANC runs 1,000 to 1,500 with a WBC of 3,000 to 4,000, is stable for life and carries no infection risk; recognising it avoids unnecessary bone marrow tests and chemotherapy dose reductions.
Autoimmune disease
Systemic lupus erythematosus (leukopenia in about half of patients), rheumatoid arthritis with Felty syndrome (neutropenia with an enlarged spleen), Sjögren's syndrome and autoimmune neutropenia, in which antibodies destroy neutrophils.
Vitamin B12, folate or copper deficiency
All three are needed for marrow cell division; deficiency lowers white cells and platelets as well as red cells, often with large red cells (high MCV). Copper deficiency follows bariatric surgery or long-term high-dose zinc.
Bone marrow disorders
Aplastic anemia, myelodysplastic syndromes (most often in people over 65), acute leukemia, myelofibrosis, lymphoma or cancer infiltrating the marrow, and large granular lymphocytic leukemia. All three cell lines are usually affected and the blood film is abnormal.
Hypersplenism
An enlarged spleen from cirrhosis and portal hypertension, lymphoma or storage disorders traps and destroys white cells and platelets, giving a mildly low WBC (2,500 to 4,000) with a low platelet count.
Overwhelming sepsis
In severe bacterial infection neutrophils can be consumed faster than they are made, so a low rather than high WBC, together with fever, low blood pressure and confusion, is a marker of a worse prognosis.
Radiation, alcohol and toxins
Radiotherapy to large areas of marrow, heavy alcohol use, benzene exposure and arsenic suppress marrow production. Alcohol-related leukopenia usually recovers within weeks of stopping.
Congenital and cyclic neutropenia
Rare inherited disorders present in childhood with recurrent mouth ulcers, gum disease and infections; cyclic neutropenia drops the count every 21 days for 3 to 5 days.
Symptoms that can go with it
- Usually none; most mild leukopenia is found on a routine test
- Recurrent or unusually severe infections: sore throats, mouth ulcers, gum infections, skin abscesses, pneumonia
- Fever, often the only sign of infection when neutrophils are very low
- Fatigue, pallor and breathlessness if red cells are also low
- Easy bruising, nosebleeds or bleeding gums if platelets are also low
- Joint pains, rashes, dry eyes and mouth, or hair loss suggesting an autoimmune cause
- Weight loss, night sweats or an enlarged spleen suggesting a marrow or lymphoid disorder
Read it alongside
- Neutrophils (absolute count) — the number that decides infection risk when WBC is low and the usual driver when WBC is high; below 500 with fever is an emergency.
- Lymphocytes — high in viral infection, pertussis and chronic lymphocytic leukemia; low with steroids, HIV, lupus and after chemotherapy.
- Monocytes, eosinophils and basophils — monocytosis in chronic infection and myeloid disorders; eosinophilia in allergy, drug reactions and parasites; basophilia is a clue to chronic myeloid leukemia.
- CRP and ESR — a high WBC with a high CRP favours bacterial infection or active inflammation; a high WBC with a normal CRP favours steroids, stress, smoking or a marrow cause.
- Hemoglobin and platelets — if either is also abnormal, the problem is more likely in the marrow or the spleen than a passing infection.
- Blood film (peripheral smear) — identifies immature cells, blasts, atypical lymphocytes, toxic granulation and clumped platelets that automated counts miss.
- Vitamin B12 and folate — low levels cause a pancytopenia with large red cells that corrects with replacement.
- HIV test and autoimmune screen (ANA) — for unexplained persistent lymphopenia or neutropenia.
What usually happens next
- A mildly abnormal count (11,000 to 17,000 or 3,000 to 4,000) in someone who is well or recovering from an infection is usually repeated with a differential in 2 to 4 weeks; most have normalised.
- If the abnormality persists, expect a blood film, CRP, B12 and folate, liver and kidney tests and a review of every medication and supplement; for a low count, an HIV test and an autoimmune screen; for a high count, a careful history for smoking, steroids, stress and symptoms of infection.
- A WBC above 30,000 without an obvious infection, a lymphocyte count above 5,000 that persists, basophilia, immature cells on the film, or any abnormality in two or more cell lines leads to hematology referral; flow cytometry and genetic tests (BCR-ABL, JAK2) are how leukemias and myeloproliferative disorders are diagnosed.
- If you have a persistently low neutrophil count between 1,000 and 1,500, are of African or Middle Eastern ancestry and have never had unusual infections, ask whether Duffy-null (benign ethnic) neutropenia explains it; a simple blood group test can confirm it and spare you a marrow biopsy.
- If you take clozapine, carbimazole, methotrexate or chemotherapy, know your monitoring schedule and what to do if you develop a fever or sore throat; these drugs can lower the count suddenly.
Diet, lifestyle and natural levers with evidence
What can move WBC once the cause is known. Nothing here replaces finding the cause.
Stopping smoking (for high counts)
Strong evidenceLarge population studies consistently find current smokers' WBC around 1,000 to 2,000 cells/µL higher than never-smokers', in proportion to cigarettes per day, driven by airway inflammation and higher granulocyte production. After quitting the count falls, with most of the difference gone within 1 to 5 years in cohort data. For a persistently high-normal or mildly raised count in a smoker, quitting is the first lever and also lowers CRP and cardiovascular risk.
Weight loss (for high counts linked to obesity)
Moderate evidenceWBC rises with BMI and waist circumference because fat tissue secretes interleukin-6 and TNF-alpha. In people with severe obesity followed after bariatric surgery, WBC fell by roughly 1,000 cells/µL (from about 7,600 to 6,500) as weight came off, and diet-induced loss of 5 to 10 percent of body weight produces smaller but measurable falls in neutrophil and monocyte counts. The effect is on chronic low-grade inflammation and does not apply to counts raised by infection.
Regular moderate exercise (lowers resting counts over time)
Moderate evidenceA single hard session raises WBC for a few hours by shifting cells off vessel walls, but training lowers the resting count. In the DREW randomised trial of post-menopausal women, six months of aerobic exercise lowered total WBC modestly (around 300 to 600 cells/µL) with the largest falls in those who started with higher counts, and cross-sectional studies show the most active adults have WBC about 1,000 lower than the least active. The mechanism is reduced visceral fat and lower inflammatory cytokines.
Do not test within 24 hours of an unusually hard workout; the transient rise can look like a problem.
When a low white count comes from deficiency, replacement works quickly: neutrophils recover within 1 to 2 weeks of starting B12 (1,000 µg daily by mouth or injection) or folate (1 mg daily), and copper-deficiency neutropenia corrects within a few weeks of copper 2 to 4 mg daily and stopping excess zinc. This only applies when a deficiency is documented; vitamins do not raise a count that is low for another reason.
Do not take high-dose zinc (above 40 mg a day) long term without copper; it causes copper deficiency and neutropenia.
Adequate sleep and stress management
Preliminary evidenceExperimental sleep restriction (4 to 6 hours a night for several nights) raises WBC and neutrophil counts by about 10 to 20 percent and CRP in healthy volunteers, and shift workers and people reporting chronic stress have slightly higher counts in observational studies. Restoring 7 to 9 hours of sleep reverses the experimental changes within days. The effect is small and relevant only to borderline results, not to counts above about 13,000.
Limiting alcohol (for low counts)
Preliminary evidenceHeavy drinking suppresses marrow production directly and through folate deficiency, and people with alcohol use disorder have neutropenia at admission in roughly 5 to 10 percent of cases. Counts typically recover within 2 to 4 weeks of abstinence in case series. Moderate drinking has no consistent effect on WBC.
When to see a clinician promptly
- A neutrophil count below 500 cells/µL, or any known low count, with a temperature of 38 °C (100.4 °F) or higher, shaking chills or feeling very unwell: febrile neutropenia needs antibiotics within an hour, so go to an emergency department.
- A WBC above 50,000, or above 30,000 with no clear infection, or any report mentioning blasts or immature cells.
- A high or low WBC together with anemia, low platelets, unexplained bruising or bleeding, which suggests a bone marrow problem.
- A high count with fever and confusion, low blood pressure, breathlessness, a stiff neck or a rapidly spreading area of red, hot skin: possible sepsis, meningitis or necrotising infection.
- A low count while taking clozapine, carbimazole, methotrexate, chemotherapy or a new medication, particularly with a sore throat or mouth ulcers; the drug may need to be stopped the same day.
- Persistent abnormal counts with night sweats, weight loss, bone pain, swollen lymph nodes or a full feeling under the left ribs.
Frequently asked questions
What is a normal white blood cell count?
For adults, about 4,000 to 11,000 cells per microlitre (4.0 to 11.0 ×10⁹/L), with some laboratories using 4,500–10,500 or 3,400–9,600. Children run higher: roughly 5,000 to 15,500 at 2 to 6 years and 6,000 to 17,500 at 1 to 2 years. Pregnancy raises the normal range to about 15,000 by the third trimester. The count is lower in the morning than in the afternoon.
Is a WBC of 12,000 or 13,000 high?
Slightly. It is above the usual upper limit of 11,000 but in the mild band that is almost always explained by a current or recent infection, inflammation, stress, smoking, excess weight, pregnancy or a steroid, and often normalises on repeat. It is not a level that suggests leukemia on its own. If it persists on a repeat in a few weeks with no explanation, a differential and blood film sort it out.
Is a WBC of 3,500 or 3,800 low?
Marginally, on most laboratories' ranges, and in a well person it is rarely important. Common reasons are a recent viral illness, a medication, or benign ethnic neutropenia, which is a normal inherited variant in many people of African or Middle Eastern ancestry. What matters is the absolute neutrophil count: above 1,500 is normal, 1,000 to 1,500 is mild and carries little risk, and below 1,000 (especially below 500) needs attention.
What WBC count indicates leukemia?
There is no single number. Leukemia can present with a count of 200,000 or with a count of 2,000, because leukemic cells can crowd normal production. What raises suspicion is a count above 30,000 to 50,000 without an infection, blasts or other immature cells on the blood film, a persistently high lymphocyte count above 5,000, basophilia, or a white count abnormality combined with anemia and low platelets. Diagnosis requires a blood film, flow cytometry and usually a bone marrow test.
Can stress or anxiety raise your white blood cell count?
Yes, temporarily. Adrenaline released during acute stress, a panic attack, a seizure, hard exercise or severe pain shifts neutrophils off vessel walls into the circulating blood within minutes, raising the count to 12,000 to 20,000 for a few hours. Chronic stress and poor sleep raise the count more modestly, by a few hundred to a thousand cells. Stress does not produce counts above about 20,000 to 25,000; those need another explanation.
Does prednisone raise white blood cell count?
Yes, and reliably. Prednisone, dexamethasone and other corticosteroids raise neutrophils within 4 to 6 hours by releasing them from vessel walls and the marrow and slowing their exit into tissues, typically adding 2,000 to 5,000 cells and sometimes pushing the total to 15,000 to 20,000, while lowering lymphocytes and eosinophils. The rise is not an infection, but it can hide one; CRP and symptoms are used instead.
How can I raise a low white blood cell count?
Only by addressing the cause. If a virus is responsible, the count recovers on its own in 2 to 4 weeks. If a medication is responsible, your clinician may change it. If B12, folate or copper is low, replacement restores the count within weeks. If it is benign ethnic neutropenia, nothing needs to change. No food, herb or supplement has been shown to raise a white count that is low for other reasons, and products marketed for this should be treated with scepticism; drugs such as G-CSF are used in chemotherapy-related neutropenia.
What is the difference between WBC and neutrophils?
The WBC is the total of all five white cell types. Neutrophils are the most numerous of those types (40 to 70 percent) and the ones that fight bacteria, so most changes in the total reflect changes in neutrophils. The absolute neutrophil count (ANC), which is WBC multiplied by the neutrophil percentage, is what clinicians use to judge infection risk when the count is low, since someone with a WBC of 3,000 can have a safe ANC of 1,800 or a dangerous one of 400 depending on the differential.
References
- White blood count (WBC). MedlinePlus, US National Library of Medicine (2023)View source
- High white blood cell count. Mayo Clinic (2024)
- Low white blood cell count. Mayo Clinic (2024)
- Neutrophilia. Merck Manual Professional Version (2024)
- Neutropenia. Merck Manual Professional Version (2024)
- Riley LK, Rupert J. Evaluation of patients with leukocytosis. American Family Physician (2015)
- Reich D, Nalls MA, Kao WH, et al.. Reduced neutrophil count in people of African descent is due to a regulatory variant in the Duffy antigen receptor for chemokines gene. PLoS Genetics (2009)
- Freifeld AG, Bow EJ, Sepkowitz KA, et al.. Clinical practice guideline for the use of antimicrobial agents in neutropenic patients with cancer: 2010 update by the Infectious Diseases Society of America. Clinical Infectious Diseases (2011)
- Parry H, Cohen S, Schlarb JE, et al.. Smoking, alcohol consumption, and leukocyte counts. American Journal of Clinical Pathology (1997)
- Dixon JB, O'Brien PE. Obesity and the white blood cell count: changes with sustained weight loss. Obesity Surgery (2006)
- Johannsen NM, Swift DL, Johnson WD, et al.. Effect of different doses of aerobic exercise on total white blood cell (WBC) and WBC subfraction number in postmenopausal women: results from DREW. PLoS ONE (2012)
- Röllig C, Ehninger G. How I treat hyperleukocytosis in acute myeloid leukemia. Blood (2015)
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