Medical Laboratory Scientist ASCP Practice Exam 2025 – Complete Study Guide

The term that describes the presence of varying degrees of leukocytosis, with a shift to the left and occasional nucleated red cells, is indeed leukoerythroblastosis. This condition is characterized by the immature forms of both white blood cells (the leukocytosis with a left shift indicates an increase in immature neutrophils, often seen in response to infections, inflammation, or marrow stress) and the presence of nucleated red blood cells, which suggests that the bone marrow is actively responding to a need for increased red cell production.

Leukoerythroblastosis typically occurs in conditions where the bone marrow is under stress or undergoing a pathological process such as severe anemia or myelophthisic processes, where the normal maturation of blood cells is disrupted. This distinct finding differentiates it from other conditions like leukemia, which may exhibit a more pronounced proliferation of immature leukocytes without the simultaneous presence of nucleated red blood cells, and reactive leukocytosis, which typically does not include nucleated red cells.

Understanding the context of leukoerythroblastosis is crucial for medical laboratory scientists, as it helps in identifying the underlying causes of peripheral blood changes and aids in the diagnosis and management of hematological conditions.