Value of measuring serum procalcitonin, C-reactive protein, and mannan antigens to distinguish fungal from bacterial infections

• Published in: European journal of clinical microbiology & infectious diseases Vol. 24; no. 4; pp. 272 - 275
• Main Authors: PETRIKKOS, G. L, CHRISTOFILOPOULOU, S. A, TENTOLOURIS, N. K, CHARVALOS, E. A, KOSMIDIS, C. J, DAIKOS, G. L
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin Springer 01.04.2005; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Antigens - blood; Bacteria; Bacterial diseases; Bacterial infections; Bacterial Infections - diagnosis; Biological and medical sciences; C-reactive protein; C-Reactive Protein - metabolism; Calcitonin - blood; Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide; Diagnosis, Differential; Female; Fever; General aspects; Humans; Infection; Infectious diseases; Male; mannan; Mannans - blood; Medical research; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Mycoses; Mycoses - diagnosis; procalcitonin; Protein Precursors - blood; Proteins; Sensitivity and Specificity; Human; Mycosis; Procalcitonin; Serum protein; Differential diagnostic; Fever; Mannan; Infection; Antigen; Fungi; Acute phase protein; Sensitivity; Specificity; Bacteriosis; Serum; Diagnosis; C reactive protein; Thallophyta
• ISSN: 0934-9723; 1435-4373
• DOI: 10.1007/s10096-005-1312-z

The study presented here was conducted to determine the diagnostic value of measuring procalcitonin, C-reactive protein, and mannan antigens to distinguish fungal from bacterial infections. The sensitivity and specificity of these measurements ranged from 35% to 97%. On days 1 and 3 following the onset of fever, both serum procalcitonin and C-reactive protein levels were lower in patients with fungal infections than in those with bacterial infections (p<0.0001). The presence of mannan antigens combined with a procalcitonin level <0.5 ng/ml provided higher specificity for distinguishing fungal from bacterial infections than each result alone.