Howell–Jolly bodies



Howell-Jolly bodies are basophylic bodies within erythrocytes representing DNA material. Normally they occur only rarely, their presence is a sign of splenic damage. They occur in the following conditions:


 * post-splenectomy,
 * splenic trauma,
 * splenic damage in patients with sickle cell anemia,
 * splenic atrophy - sometimes present in patients with coeilac disease,
 * splenic damage after radiotherapy,
 * hemolytic anemia,
 * megaloblastic anemia,
 * myelodysplastic syndrome,
 * hereditary spherocytosis