What are basophilic granulocytes?
Basophil granulocytes are involved, for example, in the defense against parasites. However, they can also be triggers of inflammatory reactions and allergic reactions. Inside them, they carry messenger substances which, when released, can cause or intensify an allergic reaction. If the basophilic granulocytes migrate into the skin, for example, and release the messenger substance histamine there, they cause severe itching.
When are basophilic granulocytes determined in the blood?
The proportion of basophilic granulocytes is determined in the so-called differential blood count if certain blood diseases or infections with parasites are suspected.
Basophilic granulocytes – normal values
Normal values for basophils are expressed as a percentage (proportion of total leukocyte count):
|
female |
male |
|
|
up to 14 days |
0,1 – 0,6 % |
0,1 – 0,8 % |
|
15 – 60 days |
0,0 – 0,5 % |
0,0 – 0,6 % |
|
61 days to 1 year |
0,0 – 0,6 % |
0,0 – 0,6 % |
|
0,0 – 0,6 % |
0,1 – 0,6 % |
|
|
6 to 17 years |
0,0 – 0,6 % |
0,0 – 0,7 % |
|
from 18 years |
0,1 – 1,2 % |
0,2 – 1,2 % |
When are there too few basophil granulocytes in the blood?
Possible causes for a reduced number of basophils are for example:
- Chemicals (like benzene)
- Medications
- Radiation (e.g. radiation therapy for cancer)
- stress
- some diseases such as hyperthyroidism, myelodysplastic syndrome
When are there too many basophilic granulocytes in the blood?
Frequently, all leukocyte forms are detectable in increased numbers in the blood during infections. Only rarely does the number of basophilic granulocytes increase exclusively.
The proportion of basophils is increased, for example, in the following diseases:
- certain forms of blood cancer (chronic myeloid leukemia, basophil leukemia)
- polycythemia (pathological proliferation of red blood cells, but also of white blood cells)
- Rheumatism
- ulcerative colitis
- Parasites in the body
What to do if there are too many or too few basophils?
In addition to the blood cells, other values in the blood must also be determined in order to find the cause of an increased or a decreased number of basophil granulocytes. If necessary, an examination of the bone marrow follows. If a parasite infestation can be detected in the body, very often too many basophilic granulocytes can be found in the blood. The infection is then treated accordingly.