STREP AND CBC COUNT

[Santi]

If there is in fact a strep infection in the body, would that show up in the CBC Count? Would it elevate the lymphocytes? Andrea

[Buster]

There are two types of lymphocytes - T cells and B cells. Almost any type of infection (bacterial or viral) can cause an elevation of lymphocytes. However, the elevation is non-specific and you can't really tell the cause.

 

A strep infection may show up as an elevation in lymphocytes, but usually shows up as an elevation in neutrophils. However, there is tremendous variability here which is why other tests are typically used for GABHS.

 

Buster

 

 

If there is in fact a strep infection in the body, would that show up in the CBC Count? Would it elevate the lymphocytes? Andrea

[Santi]

There are two types of lymphocytes - T cells and B cells. Almost any type of infection (bacterial or viral) can cause an elevation of lymphocytes. However, the elevation is non-specific and you can't really tell the cause.

 

A strep infection may show up as an elevation in lymphocytes, but usually shows up as an elevation in neutrophils. However, there is tremendous variability here which is why other tests are typically used for GABHS.

 

Buster

 

 

If there is in fact a strep infection in the body, would that show up in the CBC Count? Would it elevate the lymphocytes? Andrea

Is it possible then that there is no elevation in WBC's and there is strep? Have you heard anything about elevation in platelets? My son's is elevated plus his HGB or HGV? A

[Buster]

Yes, an elevated platelet count could mean an infection. In children, an infection often causes an elevation in platelets. You wrote HGV but I presume you meant MCV. Elevated Platelets with elevated hemoglobin with elevated mean corposcular volume might have meaning if really elevated but you won't know what exactly it is from. You have to use other tests for that. CBC basically tells you something is out of wack -- not what is wrong.

 

Buster

 

 

There are two types of lymphocytes - T cells and B cells. Almost any type of infection (bacterial or viral) can cause an elevation of lymphocytes. However, the elevation is non-specific and you can't really tell the cause.

 

A strep infection may show up as an elevation in lymphocytes, but usually shows up as an elevation in neutrophils. However, there is tremendous variability here which is why other tests are typically used for GABHS.

 

Buster

 

 

If there is in fact a strep infection in the body, would that show up in the CBC Count? Would it elevate the lymphocytes? Andrea

Is it possible then that there is no elevation in WBC's and there is strep? Have you heard anything about elevation in platelets? My son's is elevated plus his HGB or HGV? A

[Worried_Dad]

Buster - when he was 6, our PANDAS son had a "mystery illness" that was never diagnosed. For a couple of weeks, his white cell count plummeted and for about a week he could not walk due to pain / weakness in his legs. Docs never figured it out, but it resolved on its own.

 

Have you come across anything in the ARF / SC / PANDAS literature that would correlate with this? Any theories about what might cause white cell count to drop precipitously? The docs just told us it was "some unidentified viral or bacterial infection." We've often wondered if this was really the start of our PANDAS son's troubles.

 

 

Yes, an elevated platelet count could mean an infection. In children, an infection often causes an elevation in platelets. You wrote HGV but I presume you meant MCV. Elevated Platelets with elevated hemoglobin with elevated mean corposcular volume might have meaning if really elevated but you won't know what exactly it is from. You have to use other tests for that. CBC basically tells you something is out of wack -- not what is wrong.

 

Buster

 

 

There are two types of lymphocytes - T cells and B cells. Almost any type of infection (bacterial or viral) can cause an elevation of lymphocytes. However, the elevation is non-specific and you can't really tell the cause.

 

A strep infection may show up as an elevation in lymphocytes, but usually shows up as an elevation in neutrophils. However, there is tremendous variability here which is why other tests are typically used for GABHS.

 

Buster

 

 

If there is in fact a strep infection in the body, would that show up in the CBC Count? Would it elevate the lymphocytes? Andrea

Is it possible then that there is no elevation in WBC's and there is strep? Have you heard anything about elevation in platelets? My son's is elevated plus his HGB or HGV? A

[Santi]

Yes, an elevated platelet count could mean an infection. In children, an infection often causes an elevation in platelets. You wrote HGV but I presume you meant MCV. Elevated Platelets with elevated hemoglobin with elevated mean corposcular volume might have meaning if really elevated but you won't know what exactly it is from. You have to use other tests for that. CBC basically tells you something is out of wack -- not what is wrong.

 

Buster

I actually meant to say HGB which is the Hemoglobin portion of the CBC.

 

 

 

There are two types of lymphocytes - T cells and B cells. Almost any type of infection (bacterial or viral) can cause an elevation of lymphocytes. However, the elevation is non-specific and you can't really tell the cause.

 

A strep infection may show up as an elevation in lymphocytes, but usually shows up as an elevation in neutrophils. However, there is tremendous variability here which is why other tests are typically used for GABHS.

 

Buster

 

 

If there is in fact a strep infection in the body, would that show up in the CBC Count? Would it elevate the lymphocytes? Andrea

Is it possible then that there is no elevation in WBC's and there is strep? Have you heard anything about elevation in platelets? My son's is elevated plus his HGB or HGV? A