3000-7000 Neutrophils are the first cells to enter infected area . Their primary function is phagocytosis . The life span is 6 hours . Crying babies have neutrophilia . Children have greater neutrophilic response than adults .
Some elderly patients have little or no neutrophilic response .
People of any age who are debilitated, may not have neutrophilic response . Number of neutrophils decrease greatly with overwhelming infection , resistance exhausted , approaching death . Ratio of segs to bands Shift to left Increased bands Means acute infection, usually bacterial. Body is unprotected against invading agents . Requires reverse isolation.