Role of procalcitonin in detection of bacterial pneumonia Abed Suha Maher1, Boraqy Mohammed M. Al2,*, Fatlawi Sabah Neamah AL3 1PhD microbiology, Lecturer, Department of Biology, College of Science, Tikrit University, Republic of Iraq 2B. Sc. Analysis Technique, Al Manathera General Hospital, Najaf, Republic Iraq 3MBChB, FIBM-Path., Consultant Immunologist, Al Sadder Medical City, Najaf, Republic Iraq *Corresponding author contact email: Dr.mohammed_alboraqy@yahoo.com jabirbhn3@gmail.com
Online published on 9 January, 2019. Abstract The current study aimed to assess the role of procalcitonin in detection of bacterial pneumonia and to compare the application of this marker with other routine tests. This study conducted during the period from November 2017 to April 2018 at Al Sadder Medical city in Najaf included 42 pneumonia patients and 42 apparently healthy individuals as control group, patients and controls were almost matched for age and gender. Sputum specimens were collected from patients under the supervision of the physician and immediately inoculated. A sample of venus blood was withdrawn aseptically and sent for. Hematological and immunological tests. Culture results revealed bacterial pneumonia in 29 patients (69%). Results of identification have shown Streptococcus pneumoniae (31%), Klebsiella Pneumoniae (23.8%), Escherichia coli (7.1%), Stenotrophomonas Maltophilia, Streptococcus pyogenes and Haemophilus Influenza (2.4%) for each. The mean procalcitonin level was significantly higher in patients with bacterial pneumonia (971.71) compared to those with other types of pneumonia (634.00) and controls (227.40), and it appeared to be good predictor for detection of bacterial pneumonia and it was able to differentiate bacterial pneumonia from other causative pneumonia, than other tests used in this study. Top Keywords Procalcitonin, pneumonia, bacteria, C-reactive protein. Top |