Published: 21/01/2021
Keywords: WBC, White Blood Count, high, blood

What does a high count of WBC in the blood mean?

A WBC count above the normal range is called leukocytosis. WBCs (White Blood Cells), also called leukocytes, are usually measured in thousand per microliter (µl).

An increase in the total amount of leukocytes in the blood is usually due to the increase of only a single type of leukocytes (neutrophils, lymphocytes, monocytes, basophils or eosinophils). For that reason, it is interesting for the diagnosis to know the differential count (percentages of the different types of leukocytes).

The most frequent cause for an elevation of leukocytes is an infection. Other common causes for leukocytosis are:

Stress
Inflammation (autoimmune or allergic disorders)
Leukemia, myeloproliferative disorders
Burns

Signs and symptoms of leukocytosis include fever, bruising, petechiae, fatigue, anemia or weight loss. Leukocytosis or a high WBC count means:

Mild leukocytosis (10.5 - 13 x 10³/µl in adults):

A mild leukocytosis is not a matter for concern. Most cases are related to banal causes such as mild infections or non-infectious inflammations.

Sometimes it may be due to physiologic leukocytosis resulting from excitement, stress, exercise, pain, cold or heat, anesthesia.

In any case, a visit to your doctor to ask about it may be a good idea.

Moderate leukocytosis (13 - 30 x 10³/µl in adults):

It is necessary to know the reason behind a moderate leukocytosis. The differential count (percentages of the different types of leukocytes) may add interesting information to get a diagnosis. Many infectious diseases cause a moderate leukocytosis.

You should visit your doctor if you feel fatigue, fever, weight loss or night sweats.

Your doctor, studying your symptoms and the rest of your blood test may give you a diagnosis and the proper treatment.

Marked leukocytosis (30 - 100 x 10³/µl in adults):

A WBC count above 30 x 10³ per cubic millimeter of blood is considered a marked leukocytosis.

It may due to certain temporary diseases (e.g., measles, pertussis) or in case of malignant neoplasms such as leukemia where the increase on WBC count will be permanent and progressive.

Severe leukocytosis (> 100 x 10³/µl in adults):

A white blood cell count over 100 x 10³ per cubic millimeter of blood is usually due to leukemia or myeloproliferative disorders.

Leukemia is a cancer of the bone marrow in which a large number of immature white blood cells are being produced or disease states in which mature forms live an exceptionally long time.

Which diseases can increase your WBC count in the blood?

A WBC count level higher than normal may be a sign of the following diseases:

Helminthiasis
Measles
Chickenpox
Rubella
Whooping cough
Tuberculosis
Mononucleosis
Guillain–Barré syndrome

Polycythemia vera
Asthma
Leukemia
Chronic myeloid leukemia
Chronic lymphocytic leukemia
Acute myeloid leukemia
Acute lymphoblastic leukemia
Large-cell lung cancer

What can I do to lower the WBC count in the blood?

In case of an increase of WBC count, is necessary to know the underlying reason to prescribe a proper treatment. Your doctor may consider:

Study the medication you are taking looking for possible interferences.
Prescribe you antibiotics in case of an infection.
Prescribe you antihistamines in case of an allergic inflammation.
Leukapheresis, a medical procedure in which white blood cells are separated from a sample of blood.

Which values are considered a high WBC count in the blood?

The following values are considered to be above the normal range:

IMPORTANT: These levels are expressed in number/µl (microliter). They are an example of a healthy woman of about 45 years old with no known disease and not taking any medication. The ranges can be different depending on the laboratory or on your personal circumstances.

WBC Count
Mild leukocytosis
10.6 x 10³/µl	10.7 x 10³/µl	10.8 x 10³/µl	10.9 x 10³/µl	11 x 10³/µl	11.1 x 10³/µl	11.2 x 10³/µl	11.3 x 10³/µl
11.4 x 10³/µl	11.5 x 10³/µl	11.6 x 10³/µl	11.7 x 10³/µl	11.8 x 10³/µl	11.9 x 10³/µl	12 x 10³/µl	12.1 x 10³/µl
12.2 x 10³/µl	12.3 x 10³/µl	12.4 x 10³/µl	12.5 x 10³/µl	12.6 x 10³/µl	12.7 x 10³/µl	12.8 x 10³/µl	12.9 x 10³/µl
13 x 10³/µl
Moderate leukocytosis
13.1 x 10³/µl	13.2 x 10³/µl	13.3 x 10³/µl	13.4 x 10³/µl	13.5 x 10³/µl	13.6 x 10³/µl	13.7 x 10³/µl	13.8 x 10³/µl
13.9 x 10³/µl	14 x 10³/µl	14.1 x 10³/µl	14.2 x 10³/µl	14.3 x 10³/µl	14.4 x 10³/µl	14.5 x 10³/µl	14.6 x 10³/µl
14.7 x 10³/µl	14.8 x 10³/µl	14.9 x 10³/µl	15 x 10³/µl	15.1 x 10³/µl	15.2 x 10³/µl	15.3 x 10³/µl	15.4 x 10³/µl
15.5 x 10³/µl	15.6 x 10³/µl	15.7 x 10³/µl	15.8 x 10³/µl	15.9 x 10³/µl	16 x 10³/µl	16.1 x 10³/µl	16.2 x 10³/µl
16.3 x 10³/µl	16.4 x 10³/µl	16.5 x 10³/µl	16.6 x 10³/µl	16.7 x 10³/µl	16.8 x 10³/µl	16.9 x 10³/µl	17 x 10³/µl
17.1 x 10³/µl	17.2 x 10³/µl	17.3 x 10³/µl	17.4 x 10³/µl	17.5 x 10³/µl	17.6 x 10³/µl	17.7 x 10³/µl	17.8 x 10³/µl
17.9 x 10³/µl	18 x 10³/µl	18.1 x 10³/µl	18.2 x 10³/µl	18.3 x 10³/µl	18.4 x 10³/µl	18.5 x 10³/µl	18.6 x 10³/µl
18.7 x 10³/µl	18.8 x 10³/µl	18.9 x 10³/µl	19 x 10³/µl	19.1 x 10³/µl	19.2 x 10³/µl	19.3 x 10³/µl	19.4 x 10³/µl
19.5 x 10³/µl	19.6 x 10³/µl	19.7 x 10³/µl	19.8 x 10³/µl	19.9 x 10³/µl	20 x 10³/µl	20.1 x 10³/µl	20.2 x 10³/µl
20.3 x 10³/µl	20.4 x 10³/µl	20.5 x 10³/µl	20.6 x 10³/µl	20.7 x 10³/µl	20.8 x 10³/µl	20.9 x 10³/µl	21 x 10³/µl
21.1 x 10³/µl	21.2 x 10³/µl	21.3 x 10³/µl	21.4 x 10³/µl	21.5 x 10³/µl	21.6 x 10³/µl	21.7 x 10³/µl	21.8 x 10³/µl
21.9 x 10³/µl	22 x 10³/µl	22.1 x 10³/µl	22.2 x 10³/µl	22.3 x 10³/µl	22.4 x 10³/µl	22.5 x 10³/µl	22.6 x 10³/µl
22.7 x 10³/µl	22.8 x 10³/µl	22.9 x 10³/µl	23 x 10³/µl	23.1 x 10³/µl	23.2 x 10³/µl	23.3 x 10³/µl	23.4 x 10³/µl
23.5 x 10³/µl	23.6 x 10³/µl	23.7 x 10³/µl	23.8 x 10³/µl	23.9 x 10³/µl	24 x 10³/µl	24.1 x 10³/µl	24.2 x 10³/µl
24.3 x 10³/µl	24.4 x 10³/µl	24.5 x 10³/µl	24.6 x 10³/µl	24.7 x 10³/µl	24.8 x 10³/µl	24.9 x 10³/µl	25 x 10³/µl
25.1 x 10³/µl	25.2 x 10³/µl	25.3 x 10³/µl	25.4 x 10³/µl	25.5 x 10³/µl	25.6 x 10³/µl	25.7 x 10³/µl	25.8 x 10³/µl
25.9 x 10³/µl	26 x 10³/µl	26.1 x 10³/µl	26.2 x 10³/µl	26.3 x 10³/µl	26.4 x 10³/µl	26.5 x 10³/µl	26.6 x 10³/µl
26.7 x 10³/µl	26.8 x 10³/µl	26.9 x 10³/µl	27 x 10³/µl	27.1 x 10³/µl	27.2 x 10³/µl	27.3 x 10³/µl	27.4 x 10³/µl
27.5 x 10³/µl	27.6 x 10³/µl	27.7 x 10³/µl	27.8 x 10³/µl	27.9 x 10³/µl	28 x 10³/µl	28.1 x 10³/µl	28.2 x 10³/µl
28.3 x 10³/µl	28.4 x 10³/µl	28.5 x 10³/µl	28.6 x 10³/µl	28.7 x 10³/µl	28.8 x 10³/µl	28.9 x 10³/µl	29 x 10³/µl
29.1 x 10³/µl	29.2 x 10³/µl	29.3 x 10³/µl	29.4 x 10³/µl	29.5 x 10³/µl	29.6 x 10³/µl	29.7 x 10³/µl	29.8 x 10³/µl
29.9 x 10³/µl	30 x 10³/µl
Marked leukocytosis
30.1 x 10³/µl	30.2 x 10³/µl	30.3 x 10³/µl	30.4 x 10³/µl	30.5 x 10³/µl	30.6 x 10³/µl	30.7 x 10³/µl	30.8 x 10³/µl
30.9 x 10³/µl	31 x 10³/µl	31.1 x 10³/µl	31.2 x 10³/µl	31.3 x 10³/µl	31.4 x 10³/µl	31.5 x 10³/µl	31.6 x 10³/µl
31.7 x 10³/µl	31.8 x 10³/µl	31.9 x 10³/µl	32 x 10³/µl	32.1 x 10³/µl	32.2 x 10³/µl	32.3 x 10³/µl	32.4 x 10³/µl
32.5 x 10³/µl	32.6 x 10³/µl	32.7 x 10³/µl	32.8 x 10³/µl	32.9 x 10³/µl	33 x 10³/µl	33.1 x 10³/µl	33.2 x 10³/µl
33.3 x 10³/µl	33.4 x 10³/µl	33.5 x 10³/µl	33.6 x 10³/µl	33.7 x 10³/µl	33.8 x 10³/µl	33.9 x 10³/µl	34 x 10³/µl
34.1 x 10³/µl	34.2 x 10³/µl	34.3 x 10³/µl	34.4 x 10³/µl	34.5 x 10³/µl	34.6 x 10³/µl	34.7 x 10³/µl	34.8 x 10³/µl
34.9 x 10³/µl	35 x 10³/µl	35.1 x 10³/µl	35.2 x 10³/µl	35.3 x 10³/µl	35.4 x 10³/µl	35.5 x 10³/µl	35.6 x 10³/µl
35.7 x 10³/µl	35.8 x 10³/µl	35.9 x 10³/µl	36 x 10³/µl	36.1 x 10³/µl	36.2 x 10³/µl	36.3 x 10³/µl	36.4 x 10³/µl
36.5 x 10³/µl	36.6 x 10³/µl	36.7 x 10³/µl	36.8 x 10³/µl	36.9 x 10³/µl	37 x 10³/µl	37.1 x 10³/µl	37.2 x 10³/µl
37.3 x 10³/µl	37.4 x 10³/µl	37.5 x 10³/µl	37.6 x 10³/µl	37.7 x 10³/µl	37.8 x 10³/µl	37.9 x 10³/µl	38 x 10³/µl
38.1 x 10³/µl	38.2 x 10³/µl	38.3 x 10³/µl	38.4 x 10³/µl	38.5 x 10³/µl	38.6 x 10³/µl	38.7 x 10³/µl	38.8 x 10³/µl
38.9 x 10³/µl	39 x 10³/µl	39.1 x 10³/µl	39.2 x 10³/µl	39.3 x 10³/µl	39.4 x 10³/µl	39.5 x 10³/µl	39.6 x 10³/µl
39.7 x 10³/µl	39.8 x 10³/µl	39.9 x 10³/µl	40 x 10³/µl	40.1 x 10³/µl	40.2 x 10³/µl	40.3 x 10³/µl	40.4 x 10³/µl
40.5 x 10³/µl	40.6 x 10³/µl	40.7 x 10³/µl	40.8 x 10³/µl	40.9 x 10³/µl	41 x 10³/µl	41.1 x 10³/µl	41.2 x 10³/µl
41.3 x 10³/µl	41.4 x 10³/µl	41.5 x 10³/µl	41.6 x 10³/µl	41.7 x 10³/µl	41.8 x 10³/µl	41.9 x 10³/µl	42 x 10³/µl
42.1 x 10³/µl	42.2 x 10³/µl	42.3 x 10³/µl	42.4 x 10³/µl	42.5 x 10³/µl	42.6 x 10³/µl	42.7 x 10³/µl	42.8 x 10³/µl
42.9 x 10³/µl	43 x 10³/µl	43.1 x 10³/µl	43.2 x 10³/µl	43.3 x 10³/µl	43.4 x 10³/µl	43.5 x 10³/µl	43.6 x 10³/µl
43.7 x 10³/µl	43.8 x 10³/µl	43.9 x 10³/µl	44 x 10³/µl	44.1 x 10³/µl	44.2 x 10³/µl	44.3 x 10³/µl	44.4 x 10³/µl
44.5 x 10³/µl	44.6 x 10³/µl	44.7 x 10³/µl	44.8 x 10³/µl	44.9 x 10³/µl	45 x 10³/µl	45.1 x 10³/µl	45.2 x 10³/µl
45.3 x 10³/µl	45.4 x 10³/µl	45.5 x 10³/µl	45.6 x 10³/µl	45.7 x 10³/µl	45.8 x 10³/µl	45.9 x 10³/µl	46 x 10³/µl
46.1 x 10³/µl	46.2 x 10³/µl	46.3 x 10³/µl	46.4 x 10³/µl	46.5 x 10³/µl	46.6 x 10³/µl	46.7 x 10³/µl	46.8 x 10³/µl
46.9 x 10³/µl	47 x 10³/µl	47.1 x 10³/µl	47.2 x 10³/µl	47.3 x 10³/µl	47.4 x 10³/µl	47.5 x 10³/µl	47.6 x 10³/µl
47.7 x 10³/µl	47.8 x 10³/µl	47.9 x 10³/µl	48 x 10³/µl	48.1 x 10³/µl	48.2 x 10³/µl	48.3 x 10³/µl	48.4 x 10³/µl
48.5 x 10³/µl	48.6 x 10³/µl	48.7 x 10³/µl	48.8 x 10³/µl	48.9 x 10³/µl	49 x 10³/µl	49.1 x 10³/µl	49.2 x 10³/µl
49.3 x 10³/µl	49.4 x 10³/µl	49.5 x 10³/µl	49.6 x 10³/µl	49.7 x 10³/µl	49.8 x 10³/µl	49.9 x 10³/µl	50 x 10³/µl
50.1 x 10³/µl	50.2 x 10³/µl	50.3 x 10³/µl	50.4 x 10³/µl	50.5 x 10³/µl	50.6 x 10³/µl	50.7 x 10³/µl	50.8 x 10³/µl
50.9 x 10³/µl	51 x 10³/µl	51.1 x 10³/µl	51.2 x 10³/µl	51.3 x 10³/µl	51.4 x 10³/µl	51.5 x 10³/µl	51.6 x 10³/µl
51.7 x 10³/µl	51.8 x 10³/µl	51.9 x 10³/µl	52 x 10³/µl	52.1 x 10³/µl	52.2 x 10³/µl	52.3 x 10³/µl	52.4 x 10³/µl
52.5 x 10³/µl	52.6 x 10³/µl	52.7 x 10³/µl	52.8 x 10³/µl	52.9 x 10³/µl	53 x 10³/µl	53.1 x 10³/µl	53.2 x 10³/µl
53.3 x 10³/µl	53.4 x 10³/µl	53.5 x 10³/µl	53.6 x 10³/µl	53.7 x 10³/µl	53.8 x 10³/µl	53.9 x 10³/µl	54 x 10³/µl
54.1 x 10³/µl	54.2 x 10³/µl	54.3 x 10³/µl	54.4 x 10³/µl	54.5 x 10³/µl	54.6 x 10³/µl	54.7 x 10³/µl	54.8 x 10³/µl
54.9 x 10³/µl	55 x 10³/µl	55.1 x 10³/µl	55.2 x 10³/µl	55.3 x 10³/µl	55.4 x 10³/µl	55.5 x 10³/µl	55.6 x 10³/µl
55.7 x 10³/µl	55.8 x 10³/µl	55.9 x 10³/µl	56 x 10³/µl	56.1 x 10³/µl	56.2 x 10³/µl	56.3 x 10³/µl	56.4 x 10³/µl
56.5 x 10³/µl	56.6 x 10³/µl	56.7 x 10³/µl	56.8 x 10³/µl	56.9 x 10³/µl	57 x 10³/µl	57.1 x 10³/µl	57.2 x 10³/µl
57.3 x 10³/µl	57.4 x 10³/µl	57.5 x 10³/µl	57.6 x 10³/µl	57.7 x 10³/µl	57.8 x 10³/µl	57.9 x 10³/µl	58 x 10³/µl
58.1 x 10³/µl	58.2 x 10³/µl	58.3 x 10³/µl	58.4 x 10³/µl	58.5 x 10³/µl	58.6 x 10³/µl	58.7 x 10³/µl	58.8 x 10³/µl
58.9 x 10³/µl	59 x 10³/µl	59.1 x 10³/µl	59.2 x 10³/µl	59.3 x 10³/µl	59.4 x 10³/µl	59.5 x 10³/µl	59.6 x 10³/µl
59.7 x 10³/µl	59.8 x 10³/µl	59.9 x 10³/µl	60 x 10³/µl	60.1 x 10³/µl	60.2 x 10³/µl	60.3 x 10³/µl	60.4 x 10³/µl
60.5 x 10³/µl	60.6 x 10³/µl	60.7 x 10³/µl	60.8 x 10³/µl	60.9 x 10³/µl	61 x 10³/µl	61.1 x 10³/µl	61.2 x 10³/µl
61.3 x 10³/µl	61.4 x 10³/µl	61.5 x 10³/µl	61.6 x 10³/µl	61.7 x 10³/µl	61.8 x 10³/µl	61.9 x 10³/µl	62 x 10³/µl
62.1 x 10³/µl	62.2 x 10³/µl	62.3 x 10³/µl	62.4 x 10³/µl	62.5 x 10³/µl	62.6 x 10³/µl	62.7 x 10³/µl	62.8 x 10³/µl
62.9 x 10³/µl	63 x 10³/µl	63.1 x 10³/µl	63.2 x 10³/µl	63.3 x 10³/µl	63.4 x 10³/µl	63.5 x 10³/µl	63.6 x 10³/µl

Medically reviewed by our Medical staff on 21/01/2021

Bibliography

A Manual of Laboratory and Diagnostic Test. 9th edition. Frances Fischbach. Marshall B. Dunning III. 2014. Pag 67. ISBN-10: 1451190891.
Laboratory tests and diagnostic procedures with nursing diagnoses (8th ed), Jane Vincent Corbett, Angela Denise Banks, ISBN: 978-0-13-237332-6, Pag. 46.
Essentials of Medical Laboratory Practice. Constance L. Lieseke, Elizabeth A. Zeibig. 2012. ISBN: 978-0-8036-1899-2 Pag: 272.
Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE). Version 5.0.Published: November 27, 2017. U.S. Department of health and human Services. Available on: https://ctep.cancer.gov

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Blood test

High WBC count in the blood

Summary

What is a high count of WBC in the blood called?

What is the normal count of WBC in the blood?