title: [Chronic benign neutropenia of childhood].
abstract: The term neutropenia concerns the reduction of the amount of circulating neutrophils in peripheric blood. The Chronic Benign Neutropenia of Childhood (CBNC) is characterized by the presence of a circulating neutrophils total number (absolute count) below 1,5 x 10(9)L, for over a six-month period. The diagnosis is established when the laboratorial changes occur during the first two years of life, without previous history of serious infections, nor neutrophils morphological changes, nor hypocellular bone marrow examination. The cellularity is normal or increased and a neutrophil maturation arrest at some phase can be observed. Generally, the whole process is solved by the age of four. Because this is a very rare clinical situation, it justifies a bibliographic revision about the theme. We present the clinical case of a 15 month-old-child, admitted with fever and diarrhea associated with neutropenia. Bone marrow aspiration, other laboratorial exams carried out during hospital internment and presented clinical evolution were consistent with CBNC diagnosis.
authors.affiliation: Serviço de Patologia Clínica, Hospital de São Francisco Xavier, Lisboa.
authors.forename: Ana Paula
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Azevedo
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gamelas
authors.forename: Valdemar
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Teixeira
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Contreiras
authors.forename: Rita
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Monteiro
authors.forename: Maria Gorete
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Vale
authors.forename: Fernando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Durães
mesh_terms: D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D009503:Neutropenia / Q000175:diagnosis*