White blood cell counts due to inflammation of the liver
The disease hepatitis, the inflammation of the liver, affects the concentration and functioning of white blood cells . Sometimes in hepatitis , the number of leukocytes decreases , the concentration increases, or the white blood cells cause the liver disease.
There are different causes that trigger hepatitis. This in turn decides how the concentration of leukocytes in the blood changes over the course of the disease. Viruses often cause hepatitis. In addition, the so-called autoimmune hepatitis is considered a common reason for inflammation of the liver.
Leukocyte concentration in viral hepatitis
With regard to viruses, medicine divides between several groups of hepatitis viruses and other pathogens that do not belong to one of the groups.
The hepatitis viruses include all known pathogens that attack the liver and cause inflammation there. The five groups differ in terms of severity and duration. Nevertheless, an identical picture often emerges in the basic course of the disease. This applies in particular to the leukocytes.
Cytokines attract white blood cells and initially cause leukocytosis
At the onset of hepatitis, the viruses attack and destroy cells in the liver . As a result of being infected by the viruses, the body releases inflammatory mediators . The substances trigger a reaction of the immune system to the inflammation. In the case of leukocytes in hepatitis, cytokines in particular play an important role. They attract leukocytes and macrophages into the inflamed tissue of the liver. Said macrophages represent a special form of leukocytes: the so-called scavenger cells eliminate invaders through a process similar to digestion.
The body then shows general signs of inflammation. These include, for example, leukocytosis , an increase in the concentration of white blood cells. Doctors speak of leukocytosis when the number of leukocytes exceeds the limit of 10,000 in women or 11,500 in men per microliter of blood.
Leukocytopenia: The number of leukocytes decreases after hepatitis
The reverse is often the case after hepatitis. As a result of the infectious disease and the resulting increased need for leukocytes, the concentration of white blood cells falls below its normal level as the hepatitis progresses. The associated medical term is “ leucocytopenia ” (often abbreviated to leukopenia ), which is present from the limit of 4,000 cells per microliter of blood.
The reduced number of leukocytes indicates hepatitis and therefore supports the diagnosis of liver inflammation. The doctor takes blood from the patient and sends it to a laboratory. The experts working there create a blood count that lists the concentration of the various components. The doctor uses the values to determine whether and to what extent the leukocytes deviate from their normal level.
Elevated leukocyte count in Epstein-Barr virus-induced hepatitis
In addition to the hepatitis viruses, there are other pathogens that also pose a threat of hepatitis – in addition to other symptoms. This includes, for example, the Epstein-Barr virus. It changes the leukocyte concentration as a result of an infection. Epstein-Barr virus increases leukocytes, especially B-lymphocytes, in most cases.
Non-viral hepatitis: Fatty liver hepatitis is accompanied by an increase in leukocytes
A special form of the liver inflammation presented is the so-called steatohepatitis. In this case, there is no infection caused by viruses or other pathogens. Instead, the patient already has a fatty liver in which an inflammatory reaction develops.
The disease known as fatty liver hepatitis affects the concentration of white blood cells: there is a slight increase in leukocytes in hepatitis. Consequently, the doctor diagnoses leukocytosis when examining the blood.
Autoimmune hepatitis: White blood cell T cells attack the liver
Another special form of hepatitis is the so-called autoimmune hepatitis (AIH for short). In this case, the immune system is considered to be the trigger of the inflammation of the liver . The organ loses its immune tolerance, causing the body to attack its own liver cells. It is a rare disease that occurs either acutely or chronically.
Again, leukocytes play a role in hepatitis. Due to the lack of immune tolerance, the T cells begin to attack antigens that are on the liver cell membrane. This leads to inflammation and hepatitis. The addressed T-cells (written out T-lymphocytes) belong to the white blood cells . Consequently, in the autoimmune disease explained, leukocytes are responsible for hepatitis.
In summary, the number of leukocytes often changes in hepatitis. If hepatitis viruses trigger inflammation of the liver, the following fluctuations in the white blood cells appear:
- First, the leukocytes increase.
- Due to the increased need of the white blood cells, their concentration later falls below the normal level.
In the special case of autoimmune hepatitis, the leukocytes with their T cells are the cause of the liver disease.
Further information:
http://www.immuntherapie.com/krebsimpfung0.html (dentric cells in the fight against cancer)
