Webster's New World Medical Dictionary

neutropenia, severe congenital
See 
severe
congenital neutropenia.
neutrophil
A type of white blood cell, a granulo-
cyte that is filled with microscopic granules, little
sacs containing enzymes that digest microorgan-
isms. Also known as polymorphonuclear leukocyte
or poly.
neutrophilia
Too many neutrophils in the blood.
Neutrophilia may be due merely to a shift of neu-
trophils into the circulating blood as occurs, for
example, with vigorous exercise and with cortisone
medications. A true increase in neutrophil produc-
tion often reflects infection, particularly bacterial
infection. See also 
neutrophil; neutropenia.
nevus
A pigmented spot on the skin, such as a
mole. The plural of nevus is nevi.
nevus araneus
See 
spider vein.
new variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease
A
human disease that is thought to be due to the same
infectious agent as bovine spongiform encephalopa-
thy (BSE), or mad cow disease. Abbreviated nvCJD,
this disease represents a new variant of Creutzfeld-
Jakob disease. Both the human and bovine disorders
are invariably fatal brain diseases with unusually
long incubation periods and are due to an uncon-
ventional transmissible agent, a prion. Deposition of
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new variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease
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amyloid (a glassy-looking substance) in the brain
causes the breakdown of brain tissue, leaving the
brain with a “spongy” (spongiform) appearance.
See also 
Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease; prion; mad
cow disease
newborn screening
Testing of newborns to
screen for serious treatable diseases, many of which
are genetic. Which newborn screening tests are done
in the US are determined on a state-by-state basis. The
most common newborn screening tests in the US are
for hypothyroidism, phenylketonuria (PKU), galac-
tosemia, and sickle cell disease. Testing for hypothy-
roidism and PKU is required in virtually all states, and
testing for galactosemia and sickle cell disease is
required in most states. Some states mandate tests for
other conditions, including deafness, maple syrup
urine disease, homocystinuria, congenital adrenal
hyperplasia, tyrosinemia, cystic fibrosis, and toxoplas-
mosis. See also 
cystic fibrosis; galactosemia; homo-
cystinuria; hypothyroidism, congenital; maple
syrup urine disease; phenylketonuria; sickle cell
disease; toxoplasmosis; tyrosinemia.