What Is Anisocytosis

Anisocytosis is a rare condition where the body does not produce enough antibodies to fight off infection. People with anisocytosis are often infected with bacteria or viruses, but they do not have antibodies to fight them off. If left untreated, these infections may cause serious illness and even death.

Symptoms of Anisocytosis:

The symptoms of anisocytosis vary from person to person depending on their immune system status. Some people may experience no symptoms while others will develop flu like symptoms such as fever, chills, cough, sore throat and runny nose.

Other signs include swollen lymph nodes (lymphadenopathy), fatigue, weight loss and joint pain. A rash may appear around the mouth or face which can look similar to chicken pox. These symptoms usually begin within a few days after exposure to an infectious agent.

Causes of Anisocytosis:

There are several possible causes of anisocytosis. They include:

Genetic predisposition – This is the most common reason why someone develops anisocytosis. However, other factors can play a role too including environmental exposures and medications taken by the patient.

Immune suppression – People who undergo treatments that suppress the immune system are more likely to have anisocytosis. This includes people with cancer or those on organ transplant lists who need to take immunosuppressant drugs.

Infection – Certain types of viruses, bacteria and other infectious agents can cause anisocytosis. This is more common in people with a weak immune system because their bodies cannot fight off the infection.

Diagnosing Anisocytosis:

The medical tests used to diagnose anisocytosis include a complete medical history and physical examination. Your doctor may run a blood test to check the function of your bone marrow, spleen and lymph nodes.

In addition, they may order a Peripheral Blood Smear (PBS), which is a microscopic examination of your white blood cells.

Treatment of Anisocytosis:

The treatment protocol for anisocytosis will vary from person to person depending on the cause. It is essential that you follow your doctor’s orders and complete the full course of treatment.

This includes any medications they recommend, lifestyle changes and therapies.

It is important to make sure your home is as clean as possible to avoid any possible infections. Try to avoid contact with sick people and wash your hands regularly.

If you work in a job that puts you at risk of getting an infection, talk to your supervisor about possible changes. In some cases, you may need to take time off or transfer to a less risky position.

How to prevent Anisocytosis:

There is no known way of preventing anisocytosis. Talk to your doctor if you are concerned about the disease due to a family history of it or another underlying condition.

Complications of Anisocytosis:

The complications of anisocytosis can be serious and may even be life-threatening. The most common long-term complication is death due to infection or an inability to fight off an illness.

If you suspect that you have anisocytosis, it is important to tell your doctor right away so that they can begin treatment immediately. Delaying treatment can cause further complications and make it more difficult to treat.

Sources & references used in this article:

Quantitative anisocytosis as a discriminant between iron deficiency and thalassemia minor by JD Bessman, DI Feinstein – 1979 – ashpublications.org

Red-cell-volume distribution curves and the measurement of anisocytosis by JM England, MC Down – The Lancet, 1974 – Elsevier

Microcytosis, anisocytosis and the red cell indices in iron deficiency by JM England, SM WARD… – British journal of …, 1976 – Wiley Online Library

Erythrocyte anisocytosis: visual inspection of blood films vs automated analysis of red blood cell distribution width by DL Simel, ER DeLong, JR Feussner… – Archives of internal …, 1988 – jamanetwork.com

Macrocytic anemia with anisocytosis due to alcohol abuse and vitamin B6 deficiency by H Iwama, O Iwase, S Hayashi, M Nakano… – [Rinsho ketsueki] The …, 1998 – europepmc.org

Anisocytosis and the C-1000 Channelyzer in macrocytic anaemia. by SJ Proctor, JR Cox, TJ Sheridan – Journal of clinical pathology, 1976 – jcp.bmj.com

Red blood cell distribution width: A marker of anisocytosis potentially associated with atrial fibrillation by G Lippi, G Cervellin… – World Journal of …, 2019 – ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Clinical and prognostic significance of anisocytosis measured as a red cell distribution width in patients with colorectal cancer by D Kust, M Lucijanic, K Urch, I Samija… – … Journal of Medicine, 2017 – academic.oup.com

Evaluation of RDW-CV, RDW-SD, and MATH-1SD for the detection of erythrocyte anisocytosis observed by optical microscopy by FA Caporal, SR Comar – Jornal Brasileiro de Patologia e Medicina …, 2013 – SciELO Brasil