Hi,
Welcome to icliniq.com.
I appreciate your knowledge. You are right, vacuolated neutrophils suggest towards infective etiology is more likely. But let me know in such a case usually neutrophilia is also seen. So vacuolated neutrophils interpretation should be done in accordance with total WBC (white blood corpuscles) and total neutrophils count.
Your clinical correlation and physical examination are also necessary. Vacuolations in neutrophils suggest the phagocytic function of it in infection e.g. pneumonia, fungal infection, septicemia, typhoid, etc. Sometime in inflammation also such cells are seen.
As you have rapid weight loss cause for that should be searched. Some of the causes are HIV, acute infection, COPD, gastrointestinal problems like celiac disease and inflammatory bowel disease, hyperthyroidism, diabetes, tuberculosis, etc. So the clinical correlation is necessary to do further work up. Provide your other reports if it has been done along with a full CBC (complete blood count) report.
I hope this helps.
