Accuracy of C-reactive Protein and Procalcitonin for Diagnosing Bacterial Infections Among Subjects With Persistent Fever in the Tropics.

In patients with persistent fever, CRP and PCT showed higher sensitivity for bacterial infections than WBC count, applying commonly used cutoffs for normal values. A normal CRP value excluded the vast majority of severe infections and could therefore assist in deciding whether to withhold empiric antibiotics after cautious clinical assessment.