infections
Last reviewed 01/2018
The highest levels of CRP are found in bacterial infections. CRP is useful in the monitoring of disease activity in bacterial and viral infection. In general, levels of CRP are lower in viral than bacterial infection.
Note that active, severe SLE produces almost no increase in CRP unless there is concurrent infection.
In a patient with leukaemia there is usually only a moderate elevation of CRP (if fever, blast crisis, using cytotoxic drugs). However, if the CRP is markedly raised then this is indicative of intercurrent infection. The CRP level is particularly useful in monitoring response to antibiotic therapy.