Platelets. Please suggest next steps.

Thrombocytopenia or low platelet count occurs in typhoid fever and also in viral infections like Dengue. However your cousin had typhoid fever last year. The platelet count should have returned to normal within 7 to 14 days of therapy. Is there any bleeding from gums or from any other sites ? Are there reddish purpuric rashes on the skin ? At a platelet count of 60000 there will usually be no bleeding manifestation at all. Dangerously low platelet count is below 20000 to 10000 when intracranial bleed remains a possibility. You need not worry if the count remains stable at 60000. However repeat platelet count, both machine and manual every 15 days and let me know the report. Be on the lookout for bleeding manifestation including skin rashes and inform accordingly.

Low platelet count has other causes too. It may be drug induced or due to ITP. I need to check the patient clinically and examine his abdomen and spleen size. It occurs in hypersplenism too.

Usually the manual count is higher than the machine count. Contact me on my mobile.