Dear Doctor, I had tonsillitis last week, and my WBC was 17x10000/L. After taking the prescribed medication and no longer experiencing a sore throat last Thursday, I repeated my blood test on Tuesday, and my WBC has decreased to 13x10000/L. Although it has come down, it is still above the normal range. Could you please advise if this rate of reduction is normal and whether I should be concerned?

Answered by 1 Apollo Doctors

Dr Bhanu Prakash

General Practitioner

MBBS
AFIH
Advanced certificate in critical care medicine
Fellowship in critical care medicine
10+ Yrs

Consult Now

A WBC of 17 during infection is normal your body was fighting tonsillitis. Its a good sign that it dropped to 13 after treatment. WBC may take 1 to 2 weeks to return to full normal range. No need to worry if you are feeling well and have no fever or new symptoms. Repeat CBC after a week to confirm recovery.

Dr. Bhanu Suggests...

Take a CBC Test (Complete Blood Count) Test

Book CBC Test (Complete Blood Count) Test

Answered 12/09/2025

More CBC Test (Complete Blood Count) Health Queries

View all

Hi, my husband is 39 years old. He has had viral fever with cold and cough for the past 3 days. He took medication and the fever has now reduced. His blood reports are normal, no malaria or typhoid. Yesterday his platelet count was 1.51 and WBC was 7,200. He was given papaya leaf tablets and papaya. Today, his platelet count increased to 1.67, but his WBC decreased to 5,800. Is it normal for WBC to drop like this during viral fever?

Answered by Apollo Doctors

What is the ACE blood test?

Answered by Apollo Doctors

I am attaching my husband blood report. It mentions mild lymphocytosis, is the report normal? Please suggest if any further follow up

Answered by Apollo Doctors

Disclaimer: Answers on Apollo 247 are not intended to replace your doctor advice. Always seek help of a professional doctor in case of an medical emergency or ailment.