Haemolytic anaemia. Light micrograph of a section through the spleen of a patient with haemolytic anaemia. The dark blue areas comprise macrophages (a type of white blood cell) which have ingested the iron-containing remnants of dead red blood cells. Haemolytic anaemia is caused by a greatly- increased rate of destruction of red blood cells in the body. It may be due to a genetic disorder (such as glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency and spherocytosis), an autoimmune disorder (in which the body attacks its own cells) or a disease such as malaria. It may cause headaches, fatigue and jaundice. Treatment depends on the cause. Magnification unknown.