White Blood Cell Count

Abbreviation: WBC

Panel: Complete Blood Count (CBC) · All complete blood count tests

Typical adult reference range

Conventional units4.5–11.0 ×10³/µL
SI units4.5–11.0 ×10⁹/L

Ranges vary between laboratories and methods — compare your result with the range printed on your own report.

What a high or low result can mean

High white blood cell count: high values can be seen in infection, inflammation, stress, and some blood disorders.

Low white blood cell count: low values may occur with viral infections, certain medications, or bone marrow disorders.

These are associations, not a diagnosis: the same result can have several causes, and your clinician interprets it with the rest of your results and history.

Please note: Reference ranges vary between laboratories, and between the methods and instruments they use — the range printed on your own report is the one your result should be compared with. A result outside the range is not by itself a diagnosis, and a result inside it does not rule out illness. These pages are an educational summary, not medical advice: always discuss your results with the clinician who ordered them, who can interpret them in the context of your health and history.