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Updated: Aug 4, 2026

In Vivo Imaging Systems IVIS Detection of a Neuro-Invasive Encephalitic Virus
Published on: December 2, 2012
Procalcitonin measurement in West Nile virus neuroinvasive disease: A first case series
Cheyanne Boehm1, Christopher Doig2, Justin Z Chen3
1Department of Pharmacy Services, Alberta Health Services, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
Abstract:
West Nile virus neuroinvasive disease (WNV-NID) is challenging to diagnose. Procalcitonin (PCT) is a useful diagnostic test to identify bacterial infections. We present four cases of WNV-NID with serum PCT measurements.
Methods:
Daily (days 1-7) serum PCT (bioMérieux) was examined for critically ill patients with sepsis enrolled in a provincial sepsis study. Patients with identified WNV-NID are descriptively analyzed in this case series. PCT values of ≥0.5 ng/mL were suggestive of bacterial infection.
Results:
Four patients with WNV-NID were identified. Those with viral infections alone had consistently low PCT values ranging from 0.09 ng/mL to 0.34 ng/mL. Those with documented bacterial co-infections had initially elevated PCT levels that decreased by more than 50% with antimicrobial therapy.
Conclusion:
These cases are the first to report serial PCT measurements in confirmed cases of WNV-NID and support a low serum PCT in WNV-NID.
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