C‐reactive protein in acute viral infections

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
A sensitive solid‐phase enzyme immunoassay procedure was used to determine the concentrations of C‐reactive protein (CRP) in the acute and convalescent phase sera of patients with verified rubella, herpes simplex, cytomegalo, influenza A or B, enterovirus, or mycoplasma infection. In all infection groups about 90% (80% for influenza) elevated CRP values were observed in the acute phase sera (mean values in the different groups 16–57 μg/ml), the highest values exceeding or approaching 100 μg/ml. The serum CRP values were highest in all groups before the specific serum antibodies were detectable and decreased approaching the upper limit of normal controls (2 μg/ml) within 2 weeks. Notable individual variation in the CRP production was seen. We conclude that serum CRP determination should not be used as a reliable criterion to distinguish bacterial and viral infections.