Your Best Partner in Screening:
White Blood Cells and CRP

White blood cells generally increase in bacterial infections and tend to decrease in viral infections. White blood cells begin to increase earlier in bacterial infections than CRP (C-Reactive Protein), but because the reference range for white blood cell counts is wide (3,300-8,600/μL) and varies from person to person, it is possible that abnormal values may not necessarily be observed depending on the symptoms. Therefore, strictly speaking, comparison with the previous value is necessary. CRP can make up for this weakness. Since CRP has a narrow reference range (less than 2 mg/L*), it is very effective even at the first visit. Usually, CRP increases significantly in bacterial infections and increases only slightly in viral infections.
By combining the advantages of white blood cells (white blood cell differentiation if possible) and CRP, it becomes easier to understand the pathology and is also effective in monitoring progress, such as whether treatment is going well.