Following a radiation accident that suppresses bone marrow function, which effect becomes evident in peripheral blood, causing pancytopenia, and increasing the risk of severe infection?

💡 Explanation

Aplastic anemia results from bone marrow damage, leading to decreased production of all blood cells, including neutrophils; therefore, a reduced neutrophil count increases infection risk, because of the impaired innate immune response rather than the other effects such as reticulocytosis, or increased erythropoietin.

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