Pure Red Cell Aplasia (PRCA)

The symptoms of bone marrow failure bone marrow failure: A condition that occurs when the bone marrow stops making enough healthy blood cells. The most common of these rare diseases are aplastic anemia, myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) and paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH). Bone marrow failure can be acquired (begin any time in life) or can be… diseases like aplastic anemia aplastic anemia: (ay-PLASS-tik uh-NEE_mee-uh) A rare and serious condition in which the bone marrow fails to make enough blood cells - red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets. The term aplastic is a Greek word meaning not to form. Anemia is a condition that happens when red blood cell count is low. Most… , MDS and PNH are caused by low blood counts. The specific symptoms depend on which type of blood cell is affected. Read the section below to see the symptoms for each type of cell.

You may have many of these symptoms or just one or two of them. And you may get a new symptom at any point in the course of your illness.

Low Red Blood Cell Count

A low red blood cell red blood cell: The most numerous type of blood cell in healthy people. Red blood cells contain hemoglobin, a protein that picks up oxygen in the lungs and brings it to cells in all parts of the body. Also called erythrocyte, RBC. count is called anemia anemia: (uh-NEE-mee-uh) A condition in which there is a shortage of red blood cells in the bloodstream. This causes a low red blood cell count. Symptoms of anemia are fatigue and tiredness. . If you have a low red blood cell count, you may:

• Feel a little tired or very tired.
• Feel less alert or have trouble concentrating.
• Have a loss of appetite or lose weight.
• Have paler-than-normal skin.
• Have trouble breathing.
• Have rapid heartbeat.
• Have reduced ability to exercise or climb stairs.

Low White Blood Cell Count

A low white blood cell white blood cell: Cells in the body that fight disease and infection by attacking and killing germs. There are several types of white blood cells including neutrophils, eosinophils, basophils, lymphocytes and monocytes. Each type of cell fights a different kind of germ. Also called WBC, leukocyte. count is called neutropenia. If you have a low white blood cell count, you may:

• Have repeated fevers and infections.
• Get bladder infections that may make it painful to pass urine, or make you urinate more often.
• Get lung infections that cause coughing and difficulty breathing.
• Get mouth sores.
• Get sinus infections and a stuffy nose.
• Get skin infections.

Low Platelet Count

A low platelet platelet: The smallest type of blood cell. Platelets help the blood to clot and stop bleeding. Also called a thrombocyte. count is called thrombocytopenia. If you have a low platelet count, you may:

• Bruise or bleed more easily – even from minor scrapes and bumps.
• Get heavy menstrual periods.
• Get nose bleeds.
• Get tiny, flat red spots under your skin, which are caused by bleeding. These spots are called petechiae.
• Have bleeding gums, especially after dental work or from brushing your teeth. Check with your doctor before getting any dental work.

When you have a low blood count, this means your bone marrow is not making enough of one type of blood cells. Doctors call a low blood count cytopenia cytopenia: (sie-tuh-PEE-nee-uh) A shortage of one or more blood cell types. Also called a low blood count. . You can have one or more low blood counts.

Doctors use an important blood test called a complete blood count, or CBC for short, to measure the number of each blood cell in your blood sample. If the CBC shows a low number of red blood cells, white blood cells, or platelets, your doctor may look at the cells under a microscope. This is called a blood smear, and it can show if any blood cells are abnormal.

Low blood counts can have many causes, including vitamin deficiencies, bleeding, and rare bone marrow failure diseases like aplastic anemia, MDS and PNH. If your blood tests are abnormal, your doctor may do other blood tests or take a sample of your bone marrow bone marrow: The soft, spongy tissue inside most bones. Blood cells are formed in the bone marrow. to find out why.

The process of making blood cells is called hematopoiesis hematopoiesis: (hi-mat-uh-poy-EE-suss) The process of making blood cells in the bone marrow. . Blood cells are made in the bone marrow bone marrow: The soft, spongy tissue inside most bones. Blood cells are formed in the bone marrow. . That's a spongy tissue located inside some bones. It contains young parent cells called stem cells. These blood-forming stem cells can grow into all 3 types of blood cells – red cells, white cells and platelets. These blood-forming stem cells make copies of themselves, and they also produce mature blood cells. When blood cells are fully mature and functional, they leave the bone marrow and enter the blood. Healthy people have enough stem cells to keep making all the blood cells they need every day.

Blood is made of blood cells floating in plasma plasma: The fluid part of the blood. Plasma is mostly made of water with chemicals in it. These chemicals include proteins, hormones, minerals, and vitamins. . The plasma is mostly made of water with chemicals in it. These chemicals include proteins, hormones, minerals and vitamins.

There are three basic types of blood cells. These include:

1. Red blood cells (RBCs) are also called erythrocytes. They make up almost half of blood. Red blood cells are filled with hemoglobin hemoglobin: A protein in the red blood cells. Hemoglobin picks up oxygen in the lungs and brings it to cells in all parts of the body. . That's a protein that picks up oxygen in the lungs and brings it to cells all around the body.
2. White blood cells (WBCs) are also called leukocytes. They fight disease and infection by attacking and killing germs that get into the body. There are several kinds of white blood cells, each of which fights a different kind of germ.
3. Platelets are also called thrombocytes. They are small pieces of cells that help blood clot and stop bleeding.