MEASUREMENT OF PROCALCITONIN LEVELS IN CHILDREN WITH BACTERIAL OR VIRAL MENINGITIS

We measured the plasma procalcitonin levels in 59 children who were ad mitted to the hospital because of bacterial or viral meningitis. Eight een children with acute bacterial meningitis had elevated procalcitoni n levels (mean level, 54.5 mu g/L; range, 4.8-110 mu g/L). The procalc itonin levels in 41 children with viral meningitis were low (mean leve l, 0.32 mu g/L; range, 0-1.7 mu g/L; P <.0001). Assay of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) cells and proteins and serum C-reactive protein showed a zone of overlapping values between the two groups, Procalcitonin was n ot produced in CSF, Plasma procalcitonin levels decreased rapidly duri ng antibiotic therapy. These data suggest that the measurement of plas ma procalcitonin might be of value in the differential diagnosis of me ningitis due to either bacteria or viruses.