title: [Procalcitonin].
abstract: This article reviews the production, metabolism, and clinical application of procalcitonin (PCT). PCT is a useful indicator to differentiate bacterial infection and virus infection. Also, it can be used to determine the infection severity and prognosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, Cancer Hospital, CAMS and PUMC, Beijing 100021, China. wuxiamg@yahoo.com.cn
authors.forename: Xi
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Xue-Zhong
authors.initials: XZ
authors.lastname: Yu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000276:immunology; D002116:Calcitonin / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015740:Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide; D006801:Humans; D011498:Protein Precursors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D014777:Virus Diseases / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: C000606589:CALCA protein, human; D011498:Protein Precursors; D002116:Calcitonin; D015740:Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide