"Other" Blood Disorders
Recombinant EPO abuse : can cause clotting, stroke, and/or heart failure
Pernicious anemia : vitamin B12 deficiency, usually the result of a deficiency in intrinsic factor in the stomach
Thalassemia : alpha and beta; thin, delicate RBCs, due to abnormal hemoglobin (specifically, a problem with the globin)
Polycythemia : also called "erythrocytosis"; excess of RBCs. Secondary polycythemia occurs when a person accustomed to high altitudes moves to a lower altitude.
Mono : also "infectious mononucleosis"; excessive numbers of abnormal agranulocytes
Thrombocytopenia : deficient numbers of platelet cells; causes spontaneous bleeding (seen in aplastic anemia)
Spherocytosis : also "hereditary hemolytic anemia;" RBCs are spherical and fragile
Elliptocytosis : similar to spherocytosis, only the cells are more "football" shaped
Septicemia : also "sepsis;" blood poisoning due to excessive and harmful levels of bacteria or their toxins