title: Use of plasma procalcitonin levels as an adjunct to clinical microbiology.
abstract: Procalcitonin (PCT) is synthesized by a large number of tissues and organs in response to invasion by pathogenic bacteria, fungi, and some parasites. Current PCT assays are rapid, specific, and of sufficient sensitivity to detect increases in PCT serum levels within 4 to 6 h of initiation of infection. Clinically, PCT levels may help in decisions regarding the need for empirical antibiotic therapy, "source control" of infection, and duration of antibiotic therapy. The addition of PCT levels to bacterial culture and viral detection results can assist with the separation of colonization and invasion by pathogenic bacteria.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Education, Providence Portland Medical Center, Portland, OR 97213, USA. david.gilbert@providence.org
authors.forename: David N
authors.initials: DN
authors.lastname: Gilbert
mesh_terms: D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000175:diagnosis*; D002116:Calcitonin / Q000097:blood*; D015740:Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide; D006801:Humans; D008828:Microbiological Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D011498:Protein Precursors / Q000097:blood*; D014777:Virus Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*
chemical_list: C000606589:CALCA protein, human; D011498:Protein Precursors; D002116:Calcitonin; D015740:Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide