Educational information only. At Precursor, blood testing is requested and reviewed by a clinician and considered alongside your history and other markers, not as a stand-alone diagnosis. Testing is performed in NATA-accredited laboratories to ISO 15189 standards.

What are monocytes?

Monocytes are a type of white blood cell that acts as the immune system's clean-up and surveillance crew. They move into tissues and mature into cells that engulf debris and microbes, and they play a role in longer-running immune responses and inflammation.

Why they matter

Monocytes add depth to the white cell differential. Because they are involved in chronic and resolving inflammation as well as fighting certain infections, their number can offer clues that the faster-acting neutrophils and lymphocytes do not.

What your results can mean

Higher than optimal

A raised monocyte count can accompany ongoing or recovering infections and inflammatory processes. It is interpreted alongside the rest of the differential and your history.

Lower than optimal

A low monocyte count is less common and usually interpreted within the overall pattern of the blood count rather than on its own.

Reference ranges in Australia

Monocytes are reported in cells times ten to the ninth per litre (x10⁹/L), with laboratory-specific reference ranges. Read your result against the range on your own report and alongside the rest of your differential.

Test your blood count with Precursor

Monocytes are most meaningful within the full differential. At Precursor they are measured as part of Full Advanced Bloods, a single clinician-reviewed blood draw covering your full blood count, heart, metabolic, hormonal, kidney, liver, thyroid and nutrient markers together, giving you and your clinician a broad baseline to understand and track.