White Blood Cells
There are five types of white blood cells, and abnormalities in size or percentage of each type could indicate several problems:
- People will parasites will often present increased levels of eosinophils.
- Certain types of
leukemia cause high numbers of basophils.
- Neutrophils should make up between 50 to 70 percent of the entire white blood cell count
- Lymphocytes account for the other 20 to 40 percent of white blood cell totals.
- Monocytes, basophils, and eosinophils all represent between 1 and 6 percent of white blood cell counts.
Blood smear tests also report levels of platelets, the part of the blood responsible for blood clotting. Low platelet counts indicate a deficiency in clotting ability and increased risk of blood loss death. A normal platelet count in a healthy adult is between 150,000 and 450,000 parts per micro liter. Leukemia, chronic bleeding ulcers, and lupus can also decrease the amount of healthy platelets in a blood smear test result.
Blood smear tests are not typically the sole diagnostic tool used in identifying or treating diseases, however, the tests can alert a doctor to a problem. Any abnormalities on a blood smear test should lead to additional screening or testing procedures in order to determine the exact illness and treatment.
