Illustration of hyper-segmented neutrophils (type of white blood cell, dark purple) caused by WHIM (warts, hypogammaglobulinemia, immunodeficiency, myelokathexis) syndrome. WHIM syndrome is a rare genetic disease affecting the immune system. Patients have an abnormally low number of neutrophils, and are less able to fight infection. WHIM syndrome is associated with a lack of neutrophils, but can also be associated with hyper-segmented neutrophils. This is where the nuclei in a patient's neutrophils have 6 or more lobes, or a significant number have 5 or more. This can be a sign of several other diseases, however. |