Take this with a grain of salt because I’m no expert but I found this at -
https://ic.steadyhealth.com/low-neutrophils-and-high-lymphocytes
Both low count of neutrophils and high lymphocyte count are indicators of different diseases and disorders. It is important that people get to know what the neutrophils and lymphocytes are and which medical conditions are accompanied by changes in their count.
Neutrophils and lymphocytes
Neutrophils are the most abundant type of white blood cells in the body. They are classified into two subtypes, segmented neutrophils or segs and banded neutrophils or bands. Segmented neutrophils are mature cells with a divided or segmented nucleus whilst banded neutrophils are immature cells in which the nucleus has not yet become divided and appears like a band or a rod.
Neutrophil granulocytes play a crucial role in fighting against diseases and infections and are the vital part of the immune system. Therefore, low level of neutrophils in the blood is usually one of the first signs of a medical problem.
Causes of Low Neutrophils
People with low neutrophils are more vulnerable to infections and other diseases. Abnormally low neutrophil count is also known as neutropenia. Neutropenia can be caused by decreased production of neutrophils or increase in destruction of neutrophils. Low neutrophil count can be a hereditary or acquired condition.
Decreased production of neutrophils may result out of leukemia or aplastic anemia. Autoimmune diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus can also lead to low neutrophils due to destruction of these cells. Other diseases and disorders accompanied by low neutrophils are rheumatoid arthritis, hepatitis, myelofibrosis, malaria, mononucleosis, sepsis, enlargement of the spleen, Felty’s syndrome, histoplasmosis, rubeola, influenza, mumps, tuberculosis and Kostmann’s syndrome.
Drop in neutrophil count can also occur as a side effect of certain medications. These include chemotherapeutic medications, antibiotics, diuretics, lithium and phenothiazine drugs. Vitamin B12 or folic acid deficiency can also lead to low neutrophils. Furthermore, procedures like bone marrow transplant, dialysis and cardiopulmonary bypass can result in neutropenia.
Lymphocytes are also a type of white blood cells and chief constituents of the immune system. They are produced by the bone marrow. There are three main types of lymphocytes, B cells which secrete antibodies, T cells which attack infected or malignant cells, and Natural Killer or NK cells which destroy altered cells.
High Lymphocytes in Blood
Whether there is low or high amount of lymphocytes in the body, abnormality in their number always suggests there is something wrong and the body is experiencing some problem. Under normal circumstances, the white blood cells contain some 15 to 40% of lymphocytes. If there is increase of lymphocytes over 40% of total amount of white blood cells this condition is known as high lymphocyte count or lymphocytosis. Decrease amount of these white blood cells is also problematic and this condition is called lymphocytopenia.
Most laboratories take as standard and normal amount of lymphocytes in the blood to be about 1200 to 3200/ml (per milliliter). People should always consult the doctor to determine your lab results, for he or she will be able to read them properly.
Different infections of the body may be the cause of lymphocytosis, especially chicken pox, rubella, mumps, toxoplasmosis and brucellosis (animal infections) or herpes simplex infection. Flu and whooping cough may also provoke increase in amount of lymphocytes present in the blood.
Acute and chronic lymphocytic leukemias (ALL and CLL) are also known to increase lymphocytes. Mononucleosis, hepatitis or cytomegalovirus infection of the stomach and eyes can also be blamed for increased amount of these white blood cells.
Use of certain medications and blood transfusions might raise the level of lymphocytes in the blood as well.
Diseases such as ulcerative colitis or inflammatory bowel disease (IBS) or Crohn’s disease can be the reasons behind increased number of these blood cells. Some of the other reasons that may be responsible for the raise of lymphocytes are inflammation of blood cells, some autoimmune disorders and plasma cell cancer like multiple myeloma.
