Table 3.

Point-of-Care Tests for CRP and PCT on the Market

Biomarker	Format	On Market	Qualitative	Semiquantitative	Price/Test, $USD	Reading Time, min
CRP	RDT	25			0.5–17	5–15
	CRP only		6	17	0.5–6
	With MxA (viral marker)		1		ND
	With malaria		1		17
	Q-rapid test	17			2–6.5	2–22
	RDT with reader	7			2–5	3–22
	RDT with lateral-flow device	10			4–6.5	2–10
PCT	RDT	10			0.5–16	10–30
	PCT only		7	3
	Q-rapid test	11			15	13–20
	RDT with reader	4			Not available	13–15
	RDT with device	7			15	13–20

Rapid diagnostic test format refers to lateral flow rapid tests (strips or cassettes), while the Q-rapid test format refers to rapid point-of-care tests (strip, tube, cassette) that require a reader (handheld, <0.800 kg) or a device (bench model, >0.800 kg) for quantitative (Q) detection (for CRP: 1–200 mg/L; for PCT: 0.1–100 ng/mL). Semiquantitative detection for CRP mostly <10, 10–40, 40–80, and >80 mg/L; and for PCT: <0.5, 0.5–2, 2–10, and >10 ng/mL (depending on 2- or 3-band format). All CRP tests can be used on whole blood (5–25 µL), serum, and plasma, except 5 tests for whole blood only and 2 tests for serum only. All PCT tests can be used on serum and plasma (25–200 µL), and 14 PCT tests can also be used on whole-blood samples (10–20 µL). Data as of July 2019.

Abbreviations: CRP, C-reactive protein; PCT, procalcitonin; RDT, rapid diagnostic test.