I
Insight Horizon Media

What can cause high lymphocytes and low neutrophils?

Author

Emma Martin

Published Mar 13, 2026

What can cause high lymphocytes and low neutrophils?

If your doctor determines that your lymphocyte count is high, the test result might be evidence of one of the following conditions:

  • Infection (bacterial, viral, other)
  • Cancer of the blood or lymphatic system.
  • An autoimmune disorder causing ongoing (chronic) inflammation.

What does it mean when lymphocytes are higher than neutrophils?

High lymphocyte blood levels indicate your body is dealing with an infection or other inflammatory condition. Most often, a temporarily high lymphocyte count is a normal effect of your body’s immune system working. Sometimes, lymphocyte levels are elevated because of a serious condition, like leukemia.

What is the most common cause of low neutrophils?

Neutropenia can be caused by: Infections, including hepatitis, tuberculosis, sepsis, or Lyme disease. Medications, including chemotherapy. Chemotherapy is one of the most common causes of neutropenia.

What infections cause high lymphocytes?

What causes a high lymphocyte count

  • viral infections, including measles, mumps, and mononucleosis.
  • adenovirus.
  • hepatitis.
  • influenza.
  • tuberculosis.
  • toxoplasmosis.
  • cytomegalovirus.
  • brucellosis.

Should I worry about high lymphocytes?

Having a high lymphocyte count means that your body is fighting an infection. It’s usually temporary and harmless. It often goes away when your underlying condition improves.

What level of lymphocytes indicate leukemia?

A normal lymphocyte range for adults is anywhere between 1,000 and 4,800 cells in 1 microliter (μl) of blood. A diagnosis of chronic lymphocytic leukemia requires a lymphocyte level of greater than or equal to 5,000 B cells per μl for a minimum of 3 months.

When should I worry about high lymphocytes?

Alternatively, a high lymphocyte count can represent something more serious. It can indicate a problem with the bone marrow or the way the body produces white blood cells. This can be a sign of a condition such as cancer of the blood or lymphatic system. It could also indicate an autoimmune disease.

Should I worry about low neutrophils?

Lower neutrophil levels can cause dangerous infections. These infections can be life threatening when they’re untreated. Having severe congenital neutropenia increases your risk for other conditions.

What autoimmune disease causes low neutrophils?

Autoimmune neutropenia may be associated with the following:

  • Crohn disease.
  • Rheumatoid arthritis (with or without Felty syndrome)
  • Sjögren syndrome.
  • Chronic, autoimmune hepatitis.
  • Hodgkin lymphoma.
  • Systemic lupus erythematosus.
  • Thymoma.
  • Goodpasture disease.

Can Covid cause high lymphocytes?

His white blood cell count and absolute lymphocyte count had increased to more than threefold his baseline value during hospitalization. To the best of our knowledge, the present report is the second case of “COVID-19–induced lymphocytosis” in patients with treatment-naive CLL with severe COVID-19 infection.

Does low neutrophils mean leukemia?

2 The neutrophil count may be high with infections, due to increased production in the bone marrow as with leukemia, or due to physical or emotional stress. A low number of neutrophils may also be a sign of disease in conditions such as leukemia, some infections, vitamin B12 deficiency, chemotherapy, and more.

What causes high neutrophils and high monocytes?

Seizures medications, like Dilantin and mephenytoin, also result in high neutrophil amounts in the blood. Infectious mononucleosis is caused by a virus and leads to fever, swollen glands and notable fatigue. Mono can result in an elevated neutrophil count.

What does it mean when your neutrophils are high?

Neutrophils are a type of white blood cell that your body uses to fight infections. High neutrophil levels are often caused by an infection, but other medical conditions and certain drugs can cause them as well. If your neutrophil levels are high, your doctor will likely ask about your medical history.

When to worry about low lymphocytes?

Lymphocytes are a kind of white blood cell that is part of your immune system. Low lymphocyte count is a cause for concern because when lymphocytes (a type of white blood cell) are low, the body’s ability to repel infections is weakened.

What if your lymphocyte count is low?

But a low lymphocyte count puts you at greater risk of infection. Other conditions that can cause lymphocytopenia include: undernutrition. HIV and AIDS. influenza. autoimmune conditions, such as lupus. some cancers, including lymphocytic anemia, lymphoma, and Hodgkin disease. steroid use.