The nursing staff of an oncology unit cautions visitors to be free of infections before visiting patients. Which physical change can chemotherapy and decreased bone marrow production cause in these patients?

A. Edema: Edema is usually related to fluid volume or protein levels, not directly to the bone marrow’s production of blood cells. B. Hypovolemia: While severe hemorrhage can cause hypovolemia, the most direct result of bone marrow suppression regarding infection risk is the loss of white blood cells. C. Neutropenia: Chemotherapy is myelosuppressive, meaning it slows bone marrow production. A drop in neutrophils (neutropenia) severely limits the body's ability to fight infection. D. Hemorrhage: While chemotherapy can cause low platelets (thrombocytopenia) which leads to bleeding, the context of the question (visitors being free of infection) specifically points to the risk of neutropenia.