Infection Markers

Advanced infection biomarker testing for accurate detection, severity assessment, and treatment monitoring of infectious diseases. Procalcitonin (PCT) is a highly specific marker for bacterial infections and sepsis — rising within 2-4 hours of bacterial infection, it helps differentiate bacterial from viral causes and guides antibiotic therapy decisions. Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is an early inflammatory cytokine that rises even before CRP, useful in neonatal sepsis and critically ill patients. Blood Culture and Sensitivity testing identifies the causative organism and determines effective antibiotics through antimicrobial susceptibility testing. Additional markers include Presepsin for sepsis diagnosis, Lactate for tissue perfusion assessment, and specific infection panels. These advanced markers are particularly valuable in critically ill patients, neonatal infections, post-surgical fever evaluation, and cases where clinical presentation is ambiguous. They help clinicians make evidence-based decisions about starting, continuing, or stopping antibiotics. Specimen collection and handling protocols are strictly followed for accurate results. Procalcitonin and IL-6 results are available within 4-6 hours, while blood cultures require 24-72 hours of incubation.