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High monocyte count in the blood

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High monocyte count in the blood
Last update: 16/03/2021

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

  • Monocytosis

What is the normal count of monocytes in the blood?

If you need to know which are the monocytes reference ranges or you require more information about the role of monocytes in the blood, you can visit normal monocyte count in the blood

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

Monocytosis is an increase in the monocyte count above 850 monocytes per liter in adults.

The increase of total monocyte count is usually seen also in the percentage of monocytes of the total WBC count. It will be above the 8% but it is better to make the study based on the total monocyte count.

Monocytosis is very characteristic of some diseases such as tuberculosis, subacute bacterial endocarditis and the recovery process from an acute infection.

The most common causes for an increase in the monocyte count are:

The most frequent situation for monocytosis is a transient infection that is not usually a matter for concern.

Monocytosis or a high monocyte count in the blood means:

  • Mild monocytosis (850 - 1000 /µl in adults):

    A mild monocytosis is not a matter for concern. In some labs this range is consider a normal range. It is usually due to an infection.

    In the following blood test, it is probably that the monocyte count returns to normal range.

  • Moderate monocytosis (1000 - 1500 /µl in adults):

    A moderate monocytosis between 1000 and 1500 (1 to 1.5 x 103/ µl) is usually a transient monocytosis.

    Monocytes are activated in a wide range of infectious and inflammatory disorders.

    A moderate monocytosis may be due to a recent viral infection (a cold), parasite infection or a recent inflammatory injury (sprained ankle). Monocytes are increased to heal the damaged tissue.

    If monocytosis is followed by an increase in the normal neutrophil count (neutrophilia) it is more probable an inflammation than an infection.

  • Marked monocytosis (1500 - 4000 /µl in adults):

    A marked monocytosis may be a sign of a chronic inflammatory disease such as sarcoidosis or an acute infection such as tuberculosis.

    It may be also due to a leukemia or blood neoplasm if other WBCs types are also altered.

    A marked monocytosis require a visit to your doctor. He will ask you if you have any other symptom to give you a proper diagnosis.

  • Severe monocytosis (> 4000 /µl in adults):

    A severe monocytosis is a sign of leukemia. It may be due to chronic myelomonocytic leukemia that it is common in elderly people with values over 30.000 /µl.

Which factors can increase the monocyte count in the blood?

There are some health circumstances and drugs than can raise your monocyte count:

  • Carbon disulfide poisoning
  • Tetrachloroethane poisoning
  • Drugs

Which diseases can increase your monocyte count in the blood?

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

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

The increase in the monocyte count may be due to many infections and inflammatory disorders. For that reason, the main thing is to treat the underlying disease trying to reduce the monocyte count.

Regular exercise is a good anti-inflammatory therapy and it is recommended if you have a slight elevation in the monocyte count. Besides, it helps to keep a healthy weight that may contribute to reduce monocyte count because obesity may increase monocytes in the blood.

Where can I find more information about monocyte count in the blood?

You can visit our pages about:

Which values are considered a high monocyte 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 white man/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.

Monocytes
Mild monocytosis
851 /µl852 /µl853 /µl854 /µl855 /µl856 /µl857 /µl858 /µl
859 /µl860 /µl861 /µl862 /µl863 /µl864 /µl865 /µl866 /µl
867 /µl868 /µl869 /µl870 /µl871 /µl872 /µl873 /µl874 /µl
875 /µl876 /µl877 /µl878 /µl879 /µl880 /µl881 /µl882 /µl
883 /µl884 /µl885 /µl886 /µl887 /µl888 /µl889 /µl890 /µl
891 /µl892 /µl893 /µl894 /µl895 /µl896 /µl897 /µl898 /µl
899 /µl900 /µl901 /µl902 /µl903 /µl904 /µl905 /µl906 /µl
907 /µl908 /µl909 /µl910 /µl911 /µl912 /µl913 /µl914 /µl
915 /µl916 /µl917 /µl918 /µl919 /µl920 /µl921 /µl922 /µl
923 /µl924 /µl925 /µl926 /µl927 /µl928 /µl929 /µl930 /µl
931 /µl932 /µl933 /µl934 /µl935 /µl936 /µl937 /µl938 /µl
939 /µl940 /µl941 /µl942 /µl943 /µl944 /µl945 /µl946 /µl
947 /µl948 /µl949 /µl950 /µl951 /µl952 /µl953 /µl954 /µl
955 /µl956 /µl957 /µl958 /µl959 /µl960 /µl961 /µl962 /µl
963 /µl964 /µl965 /µl966 /µl967 /µl968 /µl969 /µl970 /µl
971 /µl972 /µl973 /µl974 /µl975 /µl976 /µl977 /µl978 /µl
979 /µl980 /µl981 /µl982 /µl983 /µl984 /µl985 /µl986 /µl
987 /µl988 /µl989 /µl990 /µl991 /µl992 /µl993 /µl994 /µl
995 /µl996 /µl997 /µl998 /µl999 /µl1000 /µl  
Moderate monocytosis
1001 /µl1002 /µl1003 /µl1004 /µl1005 /µl1006 /µl1007 /µl1008 /µl
1009 /µl1010 /µl1011 /µl1012 /µl1013 /µl1014 /µl1015 /µl1016 /µl
1017 /µl1018 /µl1019 /µl1020 /µl1021 /µl1022 /µl1023 /µl1024 /µl
1025 /µl1026 /µl1027 /µl1028 /µl1029 /µl1030 /µl1031 /µl1032 /µl
1033 /µl1034 /µl1035 /µl1036 /µl1037 /µl1038 /µl1039 /µl1040 /µl
1041 /µl1042 /µl1043 /µl1044 /µl1045 /µl1046 /µl1047 /µl1048 /µl
1049 /µl1050 /µl1051 /µl1052 /µl1053 /µl1054 /µl1055 /µl1056 /µl
1057 /µl1058 /µl1059 /µl1060 /µl1061 /µl1062 /µl1063 /µl1064 /µl
1065 /µl1066 /µl1067 /µl1068 /µl1069 /µl1070 /µl1071 /µl1072 /µl
1073 /µl1074 /µl1075 /µl1076 /µl1077 /µl1078 /µl1079 /µl1080 /µl
1081 /µl1082 /µl1083 /µl1084 /µl1085 /µl1086 /µl1087 /µl1088 /µl
1089 /µl1090 /µl1091 /µl1092 /µl1093 /µl1094 /µl1095 /µl1096 /µl
1097 /µl1098 /µl1099 /µl1100 /µl1101 /µl1102 /µl1103 /µl1104 /µl
1105 /µl1106 /µl1107 /µl1108 /µl1109 /µl1110 /µl1111 /µl1112 /µl
1113 /µl1114 /µl1115 /µl1116 /µl1117 /µl1118 /µl1119 /µl1120 /µl
1121 /µl1122 /µl1123 /µl1124 /µl1125 /µl1126 /µl1127 /µl1128 /µl
1129 /µl1130 /µl1131 /µl1132 /µl1133 /µl1134 /µl1135 /µl1136 /µl
1137 /µl1138 /µl1139 /µl1140 /µl1141 /µl1142 /µl1143 /µl1144 /µl
1145 /µl1146 /µl1147 /µl1148 /µl1149 /µl1150 /µl1151 /µl1152 /µl
1153 /µl1154 /µl1155 /µl1156 /µl1157 /µl1158 /µl1159 /µl1160 /µl
1161 /µl1162 /µl1163 /µl1164 /µl1165 /µl1166 /µl1167 /µl1168 /µl
1169 /µl1170 /µl1171 /µl1172 /µl1173 /µl1174 /µl1175 /µl1176 /µl
1177 /µl1178 /µl1179 /µl1180 /µl1181 /µl1182 /µl1183 /µl1184 /µl
1185 /µl1186 /µl1187 /µl1188 /µl1189 /µl1190 /µl1191 /µl1192 /µl
1193 /µl1194 /µl1195 /µl1196 /µl1197 /µl1198 /µl1199 /µl1200 /µl
1201 /µl1202 /µl1203 /µl1204 /µl1205 /µl1206 /µl1207 /µl1208 /µl
1209 /µl1210 /µl1211 /µl1212 /µl1213 /µl1214 /µl1215 /µl1216 /µl
1217 /µl1218 /µl1219 /µl1220 /µl1221 /µl1222 /µl1223 /µl1224 /µl
1225 /µl1226 /µl1227 /µl1228 /µl1229 /µl1230 /µl1231 /µl1232 /µl
1233 /µl1234 /µl1235 /µl1236 /µl1237 /µl1238 /µl1239 /µl1240 /µl
1241 /µl1242 /µl1243 /µl1244 /µl1245 /µl1246 /µl1247 /µl1248 /µl
1249 /µl1250 /µl1251 /µl1252 /µl1253 /µl1254 /µl1255 /µl1256 /µl
1257 /µl1258 /µl1259 /µl1260 /µl1261 /µl1262 /µl1263 /µl1264 /µl
1265 /µl1266 /µl1267 /µl1268 /µl1269 /µl1270 /µl1271 /µl1272 /µl
1273 /µl1274 /µl1275 /µl1276 /µl1277 /µl1278 /µl1279 /µl1280 /µl
1281 /µl1282 /µl1283 /µl1284 /µl1285 /µl1286 /µl1287 /µl1288 /µl
1289 /µl1290 /µl1291 /µl1292 /µl1293 /µl1294 /µl1295 /µl1296 /µl
1297 /µl1298 /µl1299 /µl1300 /µl1301 /µl1302 /µl1303 /µl1304 /µl
1305 /µl1306 /µl1307 /µl1308 /µl1309 /µl1310 /µl1311 /µl1312 /µl
1313 /µl1314 /µl1315 /µl1316 /µl1317 /µl1318 /µl1319 /µl1320 /µl
1321 /µl1322 /µl1323 /µl1324 /µl1325 /µl1326 /µl1327 /µl1328 /µl
1329 /µl1330 /µl1331 /µl1332 /µl1333 /µl1334 /µl1335 /µl1336 /µl
1337 /µl1338 /µl1339 /µl1340 /µl1341 /µl1342 /µl1343 /µl1344 /µl
1345 /µl1346 /µl1347 /µl1348 /µl1349 /µl1350 /µl1351 /µl1352 /µl
1353 /µl1354 /µl1355 /µl1356 /µl1357 /µl1358 /µl1359 /µl1360 /µl
1361 /µl1362 /µl1363 /µl1364 /µl1365 /µl1366 /µl1367 /µl1368 /µl
1369 /µl1370 /µl1371 /µl1372 /µl1373 /µl1374 /µl1375 /µl1376 /µl
1377 /µl1378 /µl1379 /µl1380 /µl1381 /µl1382 /µl1383 /µl1384 /µl
1385 /µl1386 /µl1387 /µl1388 /µl1389 /µl1390 /µl1391 /µl1392 /µl
Medically reviewed by our Medical staff on 16/03/2021

Bibliography

  • Concise Book of Medical Laboratory Technology: Methods and Interpretations. 2nd Edition. 2015. Ramnik Sood. ISBN: 978-93-5152-333-8. Pag. 261.
  • A Manual of Laboratory and Diagnostic Test. 9th edition. Frances Fischbach. Marshall B. Dunning III. 2014. Pag 78. 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. 55.

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