Howell-Jolly Body - Causes

Causes

Common causes of asplenia are splenectomy following trauma to the spleen, and autosplenectomy caused by sickle cell anemia. Ten percent of patients with Coeliac disease also present with splenic atrophy with subsequent Howell-Jolly bodies. Other causes are radiation therapy involving the spleen, such as that used to treat Hodgkin lymphoma. Howell-Jolly bodies are also seen in: severe hemolytic anemia, megaloblastic anemia, hereditary spherocytosis, and myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS).