Facts on File Encyclopedia of Health and Medicine

including infections, serious vitamin B deficiency,
RADIATION THERAPY, CHEMOTHERAPY, and cancers such
as LEUKEMIA and lymphoma. Some medications,
notably antibiotics and NONSTEROIDAL ANTI-INFLAM-
MATORY DRUGS(NSAIDS), can also decrease the neu-
trophil level raising the risk for INFECTION.

For further discussion of granulocytes within

the context of blood and lymph structure and

function please see the overview section “The

Blood and Lymph.”

See also CELL STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION; LYMPHO-

CYTE; MONOCYTE.

granulocyte 139