Basophils are white blood cells produced in your bone marrow. The white blood cells are vital in your immune system. They release enzymes that protect the body against bacteria, viruses, and other foreign organisms.
The normal basophil level is less than 1% of the white blood cells and 0 – 3 basophils in each microliter of blood.
A low basophil level, called basopenia, often results from an overactive thyroid gland, severe allergies or infections. Basophilia – abnormally high basophil levels may mean chronic inflammation in your body or a condition that makes the bone marrow produce too many white blood cells.
Your doctor can order blood tests to check your basophil levels.
A few conditions can cause basophilia. They include:
These conditions cause the bone marrow to produce too many platelets, red blood cells or white blood cells. These conditions include myelodysplastic syndrome, primary myelofibrosis, chronic myelogenous leukaemia (CML), and essential thrombocythemia.
Inflammation includes ulcerative colitis, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and rheumatoid arthritis.
Food or drug allergies, hay fever, and allergic rhinitis.
Tuberculosis and chicken pox.
Elevated basophil levels can cause itching and other allergy symptoms. Other symptoms may occur, depending on the cause of the high basophil levels.
The symptoms of myeloproliferative disorders are:
Symptoms of ulcerative colitis are:
Symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis are:
Allergy symptoms include the following
Symptoms of infections include the following
Your medical professional may discover a high basophil number from your complete blood count (CBC) done for another reason. A blood smear may be necessary if the CBC gives an abnormal result. This involves placing a drop of blood on a slide to check for abnormal red blood cells, platelets and white blood cells.
Further testing will depend on the condition your doctor suspects is the cause of your high basophil count.
The tests for causes of basophil may include:
You may need blood tests to check for abnormal platelet, red blood cell and white blood cell count. Your blood tests can check for inflammation or abnormal protein levels of other substances in the blood. A blood test can check if you have allergies.
Your doctor will take a bone marrow sample from your hipbone for testing in the lab to check if your bone marrow is producing healthy blood cells.
Genetic testing can check for gene mutations that result in diseases such as CML and polycythemia vera.
An ultrasound uses sound waves to create pictures of your organs. This can show if you have an enlarged spleen. Some infections and cancers may cause an enlarged spleen.
Treatment for basophilia isn’t common, but this condition may improve if you treat the underlying condition.
The treatment for myeloproliferative disorders includes:
Medications for this treatment can destroy extra blood cells in the body.
It uses high-energy x-rays to kill the extra blood cells.
If you have an enlarged spleen, your doctor may remove it with a splenectomy procedure.
A stem cell transplant replaces the stem cell in your bone marrow to make healthy new blood cells.
Drugs that suppress your immune system and reduce inflammation can treat diseases like rheumatoid arthritis and ulcerative colitis.
People with allergies should avoid triggers like pet dander, dust and pollen. Allergy shots can desensitise you to some common allergens like mould, dust, insect stings and weeds. Infections resulting from bacteria require antibiotics.
Basophilia doesn’t cause complications, but the underlying conditions can. The complications that might occur depends on the disease responsible for basophilia. These complications may include the following:
You can have a blood test to check your eosinophil count and other white blood cells at Private Blood Tests London. We also perform CBC and WBC with differential to ensure you get a detailed picture of your overall health.
Call us today on 020 71830244 to book an appointment or for more information on our tests. You can also visit our clinic at Suite E, 117a Harley St, Marylebone, London W1G 6AT.