title: Serum level of C-reactive protein is not a parameter to determine the difference between viral and atypical bacterial infections.
abstract: C-reactive protein (CRP) is an acute-phase reactant that increases in the circulation in response to a variety of inflammatory stimuli. Elevated levels in serum during several infectious diseases have been reported. In this study, a highly sensitive CRP enzyme immunoassay was used to evaluate serum CRP values in patients with viral and atypical bacterial infections. Patients (n = 139) with different viral or atypical bacterial infections (systemic or respiratory) and healthy controls (n = 40) were tested for circulating CRP values. High levels of IgM antibodies against several viruses: Dengue virus (n = 36), Cytomegalovirus (n = 9), Epstein Barr virus (n = 17), Parvovirus B19 (n = 26), Herpes simplex 1 and 2 virus (n = 3) and Influenza A and B (n = 8) and against atypical bacteria: Legionella pneumophila (n = 15), Mycoplasma pneumoniae (n = 21) and Coxiella burnetii (n = 4) were found. High values of CRP in infected patients compared with controls (P < 0.001) were found; however, no significant differences between viral and atypical bacterial infections were found. Low levels of CRP in respiratory and Coxiella burnetii infections compared with exanthematic viral and other atypical bacterial infections were found. This study suggests that CRP values are useful to define viral and atypical bacterial infections compared with normal values, but, it is not useful to define type of infection.
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Investigaciones Cl, í, nicas "Dr. Am, é, rico Negrette". Facultad de Medicina, Universidad del Zulia, Maracaibo, Zulia, Venezuela.|Cátedra de Bioquímica General, Escuela de Bioanálisis. Facultad de Medicina, Universidad del Zulia, Maracaibo, Zulia, Venezuela.|Sociedad Venezolana de Microbiología, Maracaibo, Zulia, Venezuela.
authors.forename: Anyelo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Durán
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Investigaciones Cl, í, nicas "Dr. Am, é, rico Negrette". Facultad de Medicina, Universidad del Zulia, Maracaibo, Zulia, Venezuela.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: González
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Investigaciones Cl, í, nicas "Dr. Am, é, rico Negrette". Facultad de Medicina, Universidad del Zulia, Maracaibo, Zulia, Venezuela.
authors.forename: Lineth
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Delgado
authors.affiliation: Cátedra de Bioquímica General, Escuela de Bioanálisis. Facultad de Medicina, Universidad del Zulia, Maracaibo, Zulia, Venezuela.
authors.forename: Jesús
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mosquera
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Investigaciones Cl, í, nicas "Dr. Am, é, rico Negrette". Facultad de Medicina, Universidad del Zulia, Maracaibo, Zulia, Venezuela.|Sociedad Venezolana de Microbiología, Maracaibo, Zulia, Venezuela.
authors.forename: Nereida
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Valero
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis*; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D044967:Serum / Q000737:chemistry; D014777:Virus Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D002097:C-Reactive Protein
keywords: C-reactive protein; atypical bacteria; infection; virus