C-reactive protein (CRP) is a liver-produced protein that rises in response to inflammation, and it is measured through a CRP or high-sensitivity CRP (hs-CRP) test. The standard CRP test detects significant inflammation caused by infections or chronic diseases like rheumatoid arthritis, while the hs-CRP test is more sensitive and used primarily to assess cardiovascular risk. Elevated CRP levels indicate inflammation but do not specify its cause or location, requiring further diagnostic tests. CRP levels also help monitor treatment effectiveness for inflammatory conditions. High CRP is associated with an increased risk of heart disease, though lifestyle changes and medications like statins can help manage it. Despite the value of CRP as an inflammation marker, its levels can fluctuate due to various factors like smoking, obesity, and infections.

What is C-reactive protein (CRP)?

C-reactive protein (CRP) is a protein the liver produces in the presence of infection or inflammatory disease such as rheumatoid arthritis. When you have an infection, the white blood cells act to fight it by producing a number of proteins, some of which stimulate the liver to produce CRP. The blood level of CRP has been used for many years to evaluate the level of inflammation or infection.

How does CRP relate to cardiovascular risk?

Your level of C-reactive protein can be an indicator of how at risk you are for developing cardiovascular problems. This is because the development of atherosclerosis (laying down of cholesterol inside the blood vessel walls) is associated with inflammation within the vessel walls. The result is higher levels of CRP in patients with atherosclerosis than in those without atherosclerosis. 

Candida albicans is a dimorphic fungus that grows both as yeast and filamentous cells and one of the few species of the Candida genus that cause the infection candidiasis in humans.

Albicans is a common member of human gut flora and is detectable in the gastrointestinal tract in 40% of healthy adults. The Candida antigen tests typically monitors three specific antibodies and the Candida antigen itself: IgG antibodies, IgA antibodies, IgM antibodies.

IgA antibodies

IgA is found in mucous secretions and is important in local (mucosal) immunity.Although representing only 15-20% of our human serum immunoglobulins, are the predominant antibody class found in seromucus secretions. High levels of specific IgA antibodies against Candida species as measured in serum are thought to be associated with mucosal epithelial, tracheobronchial, and genito-urinary candida infections.

Candida albicans is a dimorphic fungus that grows both as yeast and filamentous cells and one of the few species of the Candida genus that cause the infection candidiasis in humans.

Candida albicans is a dimorphic fungus that grows both as yeast and filamentous cells and one of the few species of the Candida genus that cause the infection candidiasis in humans.

C. difficile is an opportunistic anaerobic bacterium which causes symptoms ranging from mild diarrhea to pseudomembranous colitis when the normal flora has been altered (as in antibiotic use).

C. difficile produces two toxins:

- Toxin A is a tissuedamaging enterotoxin,

- while toxin B is referred to as a cytotoxin.

C. difficile is an opportunistic anaerobic bacterium which causes symptoms ranging from mild diarrhea to pseudomembranous colitis when the normal flora has been altered (as in antibiotic use).

C. difficile produces two toxins:

- Toxin A is a tissuedamaging enterotoxin,

- while toxin B is referred to as a cytotoxin.