Antibiotics are not always the cure
When patients with infection symptoms go to see their doctor, they often expect a prescription for antibiotics. Many infections, however, are of viral origin. In viral illnesses antibiotics are not only ineffective but also contribute to the development of antibiotic resistance, which is an increasing and serious public health problem.
An easy-to-use diagnostic test that assists you to differentiate between bacterial and viral infections and provides an analytically accurate and immediate result during the patient�s visit can effectively guide you on appropriate antibiotic use.

• many previously effective antibiotics are now ineffective14,16,17
  
• new bacterial strains have emerged that are resistant to several antibiotics at the same time16,17
  
• excessive use of broad-spectrum antibiotics is also driving up resistance problems6,18,19
  
• antibiotic resistance is causing a heavy cost on the society.21
  

The use of antibiotics in primary care varies considerably between countries, which is unlikely to be caused by differences in frequency of bacterial infections.20 A correlation between a high use of antibiotics and higher rate of antibiotic resistance has been observed.13,15 Nations worldwide have developed strategies to fight antibiotic resistance and to keep those antibiotics working which are still effective.12,14,21 Containment of inappropriate and excessive antibiotic use
may contribute to slowing down or even reversing the development of antibiotic resistance.22,23

The WHO claims that inadequate access to appropriate nearpatient
diagnostic tools can also be a driving factor for prescribing antibiotics when not clearly indicated.12 A diagnostic tool providing an objective and immediate test
result that confirms or rules out viral infection could have an important role in reducing inappropriate use of antibiotics.

• normally present in very low concentrations in the blood of healthy people; 99% have levels of <10 mg/l24
• uncomplicated viral infections mostly induce (with some exceptions) a very modest elevation or none at all24
• in bacterial infections, concentrations increase markedly24
• elevated concentrations can be detected within 6-12 h after onset of an inflammatory stimulus, reaching maximum within 24-48 h25,26
• rise in concentrations corresponds to severity of infection24
• concentrations fall rapidly when the patient responds to antibiotic treatment24
• normalisation of the concentration may indicate that the duration of treatment has been sufficient and the treatment can be discontinued.24,27,28

CRP and infection

When evaluated in the light of the patient’s clinical condition, measurement of CRP can assist in differentiating between bacterial infections and viral infections and in rationalising antibiotic therapy. Measurement of CRP has long been used as a routine diagnostic test in laboratories. However, obtaining the CRP result from an external laboratory takes too long for adequate support of the diagnostic decision in a primary care setting where the health care professional requires the test result immediately during the patient visit.

• CRP can be used as a predictor for bacterial infection due to the inflammation that occurs when there is bacterial infection present
• Uncomplicated viral infections mostly induce a very modest elevation or none at all
• In bacterial infections, concentrations increase markedly
• Concentrations fall rapidly when the patient responds to antibiotic treatment
• Normalization of the concentration may indicate that the duration of treatment has been sufficient and the treatment can be discontinued

Serial CRP

• In the ICU, CRP is useful in determining the efficacy of antibiotic therapy
• By checking CRP regularily it may be possible to see whether or not the current antibiotic therapy effective

Antibiotic resistance and primary care
Antibiotic resistance is one of the most serious public health problems12,14,15 and increasing at an alarming rate in primary care settings, too, making daily treatment decisions more challenging.16

Facts about antibiotic resistance

• many previously effective antibiotics are now ineffective14,16,17
• new bacterial strains have emerged that are resistant to several antibiotics at the same time16,17
• excessive use of broad-spectrum antibiotics is also driving up resistance problems6,18,19
• antibiotic resistance is causing a heavy cost on the society.21

The use of antibiotics in primary care varies considerably between countries, which is unlikely to be caused by differences in frequency of bacterial infections.20 A correlation between a high use of antibiotics and higher rate of antibiotic resistance has been observed.13,15 Nations worldwide have developed strategies to fight antibiotic resistance and to keep those antibiotics working which are still effective.12,14,21 Containment of inappropriate and excessive antibiotic use may contribute to slowing down or even reversing the development of antibiotic resistance.22,23

The WHO claims that inadequate access to appropriate nearpatient diagnostic tools can also be a driving factor for prescribing antibiotics when not clearly indicated.12 A diagnostic tool providing an objective and immediate test result that confirms or rules out viral infection could have an important role in reducing inappropriate use of antibiotics.

Overuse of antibiotics is jeopardizing the usefulness of essential drugs. Decreasing inappropriate antibiotic use is the best way to control resistance14

C-reactive protein
Measurement of C-reactive protein (CRP) is helpful in the clinical management of a patient with symptoms of an infection.

CRP and Inflammatory Disorders

• CRP is a useful inflammatory marker used to monitor the disease progress or response  to treatment in patients with chronic inflammatory disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis or Chrons Disease
• When the disease is active it becomes elevated and when disease is in remission it returns to normal

QuikRead CRP shows good concordance with standard laboratory methods and may lead to a more rational approach to patients with respiratory infections29 The QuikRead CRP offers an excellent cost effective tool to augment clinical judgement whilst facilitating optimal time management in the ICU or private practise

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