Abstract

A case is presented in which the decision to admit and treat an adult with musculoskeletal pain and pyrexia was based on her markedly raised c-reactive protein (CRP). At the time of admission she was apyrexial and the CRP was the only haematological investigation that was out of the normal range. She subsequently became precipitously septic with pneumococcal bacteraemia and meningitis. The CRP is an important investigation for emergency departments.