NRBC of 2

[RiRihanna]

So I just got my lab. Everything was within range For my CBC test. The only thing out of range was NRBC which showed 2. Researching online only showed that this is potentially bad. I have had some sort of yeast infection that made me feel sick but nothing else. My doctor mentioned repeat cbc in a few months. Still...I'm wondering if something could be wrong. This is first time nrbc was added to my test.

[Ken_PA]

Hi, there are many possible causes of finding NRBCs on a CBC test. Yes, some causes are very serious, such as leukemia or other blood diseases, but they are not the most likely causes.

Another possible cause is a yeast infection and in your case that is the most likely cause, because if your history. That's considering that your doc would have taken steps to rule out any very serious causes such as leukemia. E.g., leukemia would have shown up on your CBC test with some other CBC numbers being out of normal range. I'll assume you also had a blood smear done wherein they look at a drop of blood with a microscope.

So the reasonable thing to do is to wait and see if the yeast infection ends and the NRBCs disappear. Is it candida yeast? Was it a very severe infection?

Btw, the COVID virus can also cause NRBCs, so be aware of any symptoms from that.

[Ken_PA]

On a technical note: why would a yeast infection cause NRBCs to appear in the bloodstream? It turns out that although RBCs are known for carrying oxygen, they can at times also become involved in fighting infections.

Why did this happen in you, but not in everybody with a yeast infection? I'd guess that has to do with why you were at the doc to begin with, and if you have some ongoing problems through the years.