Daughter’s blood test results

[Stygimoloch]

My daughter currently has shingles. She is 15. GP sent her for blood tests to see if anything underlying may have triggered the shingles as it’s fairly uncommon in her age group.

Test results have shown a slightly low white blood count and low B12. She has to repeat both blood tests in a few weeks.

I’ll put the results below. Can anyone help interpret them please? We haven’t seen a doctor about them - just been asked to repeat. Could the fact that she currently has shingles explain the results?

white cell count - 4.5
Neutrophil count - 1.98
Lymphocyte count - 1.45

B12 >128

Thanks

(Not a HCP)

There's a link there to normal ranges by age for children from the NHS
https://www.nbt.nhs.uk/sites/default/files/Childrens%20FBC%20Reference%20Ranges.pdf
It's a bit chicken and egg, chickenpox causes temporary lowered white blood cell counts, but lots of other viruses (COVID, measles but also common cold viruses like enterovirus) can ALSO temporarily cause a drop in white blood cell numbers and that in itself can be enough to let VZV reactivate and cause shingles. So shingles might have caused that change in WBC or the shingles might be the consequence of the change in WBC. But both are still within normal.

NHS Bristol also have a reference range for B12, I think the unit you have on your results will be Ng/L. They say that less than 145ng/L is likely deficiency.

@OtterMummy2024thanks so much.

I’m surprised at her low B12. Will have to look again at her diet.

Could be genetic though (I had to be tested for pernicious anaemia because my nan had it).

Might also be worth warning her that if her friends ever offer her laughing gas, she should say no given her B12 is already on the low side - she would be more at risk of nasty side effects.