Which lab value tends to increase during a viral infection?

Lymphocytes are a type of white blood cell that play a critical role in the immune response, particularly in combating viral infections. During a viral infection, the body recognizes the presence of the virus and mobilizes the immune system to target and eliminate it. This immune response is mediated by various types of lymphocytes, including T cells and B cells, which specifically respond to viral antigens.

As a result, the count of lymphocytes in the blood typically increases during a viral infection, reflecting the body’s heightened immune activity. This increase is a key indicator used by healthcare providers to distinguish between different types of infections, particularly to identify viral vs. bacterial infections, as bacterial infections usually cause an increase in neutrophils rather than lymphocytes.

In contrast, the values for red blood cells, neutrophils, and platelets do not generally show a significant increase during a viral infection. Red blood cell counts may remain stable or decrease, neutrophils may be more involved in bacterial infections, and platelets are not specifically elevated in response to viral pathogens. Therefore, the elevation of lymphocytes is a hallmark of the body’s response to viral infection.