Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsWhat They AreWhen UsedNeutropenic IsolationWhen to Get HelpFrequently Asked Questions
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
What They Are
When Used
Neutropenic Isolation
When to Get Help
Frequently Asked Questions
Neutropeniais a condition that puts people at increased risk for dangerous bacterial infections. It’s seen in some cancers and diseases but is also a common side effect of cancer treatment.Neutropenicprecautions are common-sense protocols that help avoid infections at home and in clinical settings, like hospitals.
This article will detail neutropenic precautions you can take that increase your safety from infection.
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What Are Neutropenic Precautions?
If you have neutropenia, your body is unable to adequately fight off infection. For that reason, avoiding germs that can make you sick is a priority.
It can be hard to completely eliminate germs from your environment. However, strictly enforcing the use of neutropenic precautions in your home and in other controllable environments can help immensely.
Hygiene at Home
Neutropenic precautions to take at home include:
Hygeine Outdoors and Away from Home
Vaccines
These vaccines are also recommended for neutropenic precautions:
Food Safety and Neutropenic Precautions
Poor nutrition can adversely affect the immune system. It’s important to eat healthy food during cancer treatment and at any time when your immune system is depressed. However, even the healthiest foods can contain bacteria and pathogens (organisms that can cause disease). For that reason, neutropenic precautions for food include:
In some instances, your healthcare provider may recommend you follow aneutropenic diet, also known as a low-microbial diet.In addition to common-sense guidelines about choosing and preparing food, it has safety precautions such as not refrigerating hot foods and avoiding shellfish, deli meats, and deli cheeses.
When Are Neutropenic Precautions Used?
Neutropenic precautions are recommended for anyone who has neutropenia, to use both at home and in clinical settings. Neutropenia is diagnosed through a complete blood count (CBC) test. This test provides information about your absolute neutrophil count (ANC). Your risk for infection is based on your ANC number:
People with certain illnesses, such as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), may become neutropenic at various points of treatment. Autoimmune diseases (in which the immune system mistakenly attacks your own tissues) and bacterial infections, such astuberculosis, can also cause this condition.
Cancer and Cancer Treatment
Cancer and the treatments used to fight it can weaken the immune system. Forms of cancer directly affecting the bone marrow, such asleukemiaandlymphoma, can result in neutropenia as cancer cells replace normal neutrophil-producing cells in the bone marrow.
Chemotherapy can kill or harm fast-dividing healthy cells (such as those in the bone marrow that produce neutrophils) as well as cancer cells. Neutropenic precautions are recommended for people undergoing chemotherapy.
The greatest risk for neutropenia is from the seventh to the 12th day of chemotherapy treatment.This window varies and isn’t written in stone. If your healthcare provider has recommended neutropenic precautions, it makes sense to err on the side of caution and add a few days, at least, on either side of this window.
Other cancer treatments that may weaken the immune system include radiation, surgery, and bone marrow transplants.
Kostmann’s Syndrome
Children born with Kostmann’s syndrome may require the use of neutropenic precautions throughout their lifetimes. Kostmann’s syndrome is a rare genetic disease that causes severecongenital neutropenia(not having any neutrophils from birth).If your child has Kostmann’s syndrome, medications will be given that make this condition more manageable.
What Is Neutropenic Isolation?
Neutropenic isolation may be used in clinical settings to protect people with severe neutropenia from pathogen exposure. If your doctor recommends neutropenic isolation, you may be confined to a hospital room for a period of time.
Guidelines for your stay will include neutropenic precautions in addition to standard precautions. These may include:
When to See a Healthcare Provider
If you feel sick or notice any signs of infection, let your healthcare provider know immediately. These include:
Summary
Neutropenia is a condition in which you have low levels of white blood cells called neutrophils. Neutrophils are necessary for fighting offbacterial infections and illnesses. Neutropenic precautions are common sense guidelines for reducing exposure to pathogens that can make you sick.
People with cancer and other conditions may be required to use neutropenic precautions at various points during treatment.
A Word From Verywell
It can be hard to live with a long list of “don’ts.” However, if you are immunocompromised and have neutropenia, it may be necessary to do just that. Some neutropenic precautions, such as washing your hands often, may be easy to adapt to. Others, such as finding a temporary home for your pets, may be harder.
The goal of neutropenic precautions is to keep you healthy and safe. Keeping your eyes on that goal may help you to get through this time.
Frequently Asked QuestionsPersonal protective equipment (PPE) usually consists of gloves, a body covering such as a surgical gown, and a high-quality mask.Absolute neutrophil count (ANC) determines your risk for infection. Your highest risk is when your ANC is lower than 500. Moderate risk for ANC is 500–1,000.You are considered neutropenic when your white blood cell count (WBC) drops below 1,000 per cubic millimeter.Flowers and standing water in vases can contain bacteria and fungi, which are harmful to people with neutropenia. For this reason, they should be eliminated from your environment until your ANC levels increase.
Personal protective equipment (PPE) usually consists of gloves, a body covering such as a surgical gown, and a high-quality mask.
Absolute neutrophil count (ANC) determines your risk for infection. Your highest risk is when your ANC is lower than 500. Moderate risk for ANC is 500–1,000.
You are considered neutropenic when your white blood cell count (WBC) drops below 1,000 per cubic millimeter.
Flowers and standing water in vases can contain bacteria and fungi, which are harmful to people with neutropenia. For this reason, they should be eliminated from your environment until your ANC levels increase.
10 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
American Cancer Society.Q&A: preventing infections when you have cancer.
American Cancer Society.Watching for and preventing infections.
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.Neutropenic diet.
UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospitals.Neutropenia.
Cleveland Clinic.Neutropenia.
NIH National Center for Advancing Translational Services GARD Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center.Severe congenital neutropenia autosomal recessive 3.
Minnesota Hospital Association.Neutropenic precautions.
Lymphoma Action.Infections: risk and prevention.
Virginia Oncology Associates.Low white blood cell count.
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