The Difference Between the Total and Differential Leukocyte Counts in Patients with Symptoms of an Infection and Healthy Patients

Session

Medicine and Nursing

Description

Infections are one of the most common reasons for seeking medical help and the accurate identification of their nature, bacterial or viral – remains a key step in determining the appropriate treatment. This study work, which was part of a bachelor’s degree thesis of a UBT student from the medical-biochemistry program, aimed to analyze in a laboratory way the total and differential number of leukocytes from the blood of patients with symptoms of an infection, comparison with healthy patients, and how much these analyses can help in clinical diagnosis. The study was conducted at the biochemical and hematological laboratory “NORMA” in Prishtina, which included 30 patients, 15 as a control group and 15 others with suspected infections. For each of them, blood was analyzed using an automatic hematological analyzer, with a special focus on the total number of leukocytes and their distribution by type. To maintain the validity of the comparisons, patients with hematological diseases, those using immunosuppressive drugs or patients with chronic pathologies that could affect the composition of leukocytes were excluded. The results showed significant differences between the two groups. Patients with bacterial infections showed a clear increase in leukocytes, especially neutrophils, while those with viral infections often had lymphocytosis and occasionally leukopenia. The control group showed mostly leukocyte composition within reference values. These data indicate that hematological analysis can provide a rapid and reliable insight to guide the diagnosis and clinical management of infections.

Keywords:

Leukocyte, Hematology, Infection, Diagnosis

Proceedings Editor

Edmond Hajrizi

ISBN

978-9951-982-41-2

Location

UBT Lipjan, Kosovo

Start Date

25-10-2025 9:00 AM

End Date

26-10-2025 6:00 PM

DOI

10.33107/ubt-ic.2025.384

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Oct 25th, 9:00 AM Oct 26th, 6:00 PM

The Difference Between the Total and Differential Leukocyte Counts in Patients with Symptoms of an Infection and Healthy Patients

UBT Lipjan, Kosovo

Infections are one of the most common reasons for seeking medical help and the accurate identification of their nature, bacterial or viral – remains a key step in determining the appropriate treatment. This study work, which was part of a bachelor’s degree thesis of a UBT student from the medical-biochemistry program, aimed to analyze in a laboratory way the total and differential number of leukocytes from the blood of patients with symptoms of an infection, comparison with healthy patients, and how much these analyses can help in clinical diagnosis. The study was conducted at the biochemical and hematological laboratory “NORMA” in Prishtina, which included 30 patients, 15 as a control group and 15 others with suspected infections. For each of them, blood was analyzed using an automatic hematological analyzer, with a special focus on the total number of leukocytes and their distribution by type. To maintain the validity of the comparisons, patients with hematological diseases, those using immunosuppressive drugs or patients with chronic pathologies that could affect the composition of leukocytes were excluded. The results showed significant differences between the two groups. Patients with bacterial infections showed a clear increase in leukocytes, especially neutrophils, while those with viral infections often had lymphocytosis and occasionally leukopenia. The control group showed mostly leukocyte composition within reference values. These data indicate that hematological analysis can provide a rapid and reliable insight to guide the diagnosis and clinical management of infections.