Mayo Clinic Health Manager
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By Mayo Clinic staffNeutropenia may be caused by:
- Congenital disorders characterized by poor bone marrow function
- Cancer or other diseases that damage bone marrow
- Viral infections that disrupt bone marrow function
- Autoimmune disorders that destroy neutrophils or bone marrow cells
- Overwhelming infections that use up neutrophils faster than they can be produced
- Drugs that destroy neutrophils or damage bone marrow
Possible causes of neutropenia include:
- Aplastic anemia
- Bone marrow transplant
- Chemotherapy
- Drugs, such as antibiotics and diuretics
- Histoplasmosis
- HIV/AIDS
- Hypersplenism, a premature destruction of blood cells by the spleen
- Kostmann syndrome, a congenital disorder involving low neutrophil production
- Leukemia
- Lupus
- Malaria
- Mononucleosis
- Myelodysplastic syndromes
- Myelofibrosis
- Myelokathexis, a congenital disorder involving failure of neutrophils to enter the bloodstream
- Other autoimmune disorders
- Other congenital disorders
- Other infectious diseases
- Other parasitic diseases
- Radiation therapy
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Tuberculosis
- Vitamin deficiencies
Causes shown here are commonly associated with this symptom. Work with your doctor or other health care professional for an accurate diagnosis.