White blood cells are manufactured in bone marrow — the spongy tissue inside some of your larger bones. A low white blood cell count usually is caused by:
- Viral infections that temporarily disrupt the work of bone marrow
- Certain disorders present at birth (congenital) that involve diminished bone marrow function
- Cancer or other diseases that damage bone marrow
- Autoimmune disorders that destroy white blood cells or bone marrow cells
- Severe infections that use up white blood cells faster than they can be produced
- Medications, such as antibiotics, that destroy white blood cells
- Sarcoidosis (collections of inflammatory cells in the body)
Specific causes of a low white blood cell count include:
- Aplastic anemia
- Chemotherapy
- HIV/AIDS
- Hypersplenism (an abnormality of the spleen causing blood cell destruction)
- Kostmann's syndrome (a congenital disorder involving low production of neutrophils)
- Leukemia
- Lupus
- Malnutrition and vitamin deficiencies
- Myelodysplastic syndromes
- Myelokathexis (a congenital disorder involving failure of neutrophils to enter the bloodstream)
- Radiation therapy
- Rheumatoid arthritis and other autoimmune disorders
- Tuberculosis (and other infectious diseases)
Causes shown here are commonly associated with this symptom. Work with your doctor or other health care professional for an accurate diagnosis.
Nov. 24, 2020
- Kumar V, et al. Diseases of white blood cells, lymph nodes, spleen, and thymus. In: Robbins and Cotran Pathologic Basis of Disease. 9th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2015. http://www.clinicalkey.com. Accessed Nov. 18, 2015.
- Marx JA, et al., eds. Anemia, polycythemia, and white blood cells disorders. In: Rosen's Emergency Medicine. 8th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2014. http://www.clinicalkey.com. Accessed Nov. 18, 2015.
- AskMayoExpert. Leuokepenia (adults). Rochester, Minn.: Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research; 2015.
- Kliegman RM, et al., eds. Leukopenia. In: Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 20th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Elsevier; 2016. http://www.clinicalkey.com. Accessed Nov. 18, 2015.
- Berliner N. Approach to the adult with unexplained neutropenia. http://www.uptodate.com/home. Accessed Nov. 18, 2015.