Procalcitonin (PCT)
A blood marker that rises fast with serious bacterial infection and helps guide antibiotic decisions.
Consider this test if:
- Evaluating a serious lower respiratory infection where the bacterial-versus-viral question changes antibiotic decisions
- Tracking a confirmed or suspected sepsis case where the trend guides escalation or de-escalation
- A high fever or systemic illness where the severity of a possible bacterial infection is unclear
- Deciding whether antibiotics can be safely stopped as an infection resolves
- HSA/FSA eligible
- Typical results in 2-3 days · Reviewed by a real clinician
- Drawn at a CLIA/CAP-accredited lab near you ·
Pre-test considerations
No fasting required. Timing matters more than diet: PCT rises within 6 to 12 hours of a bacterial insult and falls with a half-life of about 24 hours, so a single value is often paired with a repeat draw to read the trend. Recent surgery, major trauma, severe burns, or other strong inflammatory states can raise PCT without bacterial infection.
Video consult with your Care Team
A 1:1 call to discuss your health.
What members say on Trustpilot
What this test is for
Procalcitonin (PCT) is a protein that stays very low in healthy people but rises within 6 to 12 hours of a significant bacterial infection, with higher levels tracking worse severity. It is used mainly to assess the risk of sepsis and septic shock, to guide whether antibiotics are needed in lower respiratory tract infections such as pneumonia, bronchitis, and COPD exacerbations, and to support safely stopping antibiotics once levels fall. Because PCT is driven by bacterial products rather than viral illness, it helps distinguish bacterial from viral infection in a way that white-cell count and CRP often cannot. Levels below 0.5 ng/mL suggest low sepsis risk but do not rule out a localized or very early infection, and PCT can rise modestly without infection, so results are read against the clinical picture and often rechecked over hours. The trend over time matters as much as a single value: a falling PCT signals the infection is being controlled.
What to expect
- 1 Book instantly
Click, book, done. Choose a convenient lab location near you. Transparent, up-front pricing.
- 2 Quick lab visit
Testing to fit your busy schedule, usually 15 minutes or less. Walk-in and appointments available.
- 3 Typical results in 2-3 days
Your results post straight to your dashboard as soon as the lab completes them.
- 4 Expert guidance
Included with Mito membership. A clinician reviews your results and your personalized action plan follows, with clear next steps.
Everything your health needs,
in one membership
-
Every test at our cost
Members pay our cost on every test, with lab fees passed straight through. The full receipt is itemized, never padded.
-
Continuous tracking, all in one place
Upload past labs and watch your trends over time. Every marker and visit lives in one longitudinal record, so all your care stays together.
-
Year-round clinician support
Text anytime and get clinician-reviewed answers. When you want to go deeper, 1:1 consultations are available at affordable rates.
All for $9/month
Order any test or consult without joining. For $9/month, members unlock member prices, trend tracking, and year-round clinician guidance.
Mito Membership
$9 /mo
cancel anytime
Without membership
$0
pay as you go
At-cost pricing on labs, scans, and more
Priority turnaround on your results
On-demand clinician consults when you need guidance
Personalized action plans across supplements, exercise, nutrition, and sleep
AI health coaching to help you act on your results
Year-round medical support, with in-chat clinician escalation
All your health records in one personal vault, with trends and biological age tracking
Early access to new diagnostics and product releases
More tests to consider
Loading essentials…
Frequently asked questions
View all FAQsHow does pricing work?
Every test shows the member price next to the standard non-member price, so you can see what membership saves you. The member price is our cost — covering the lab and what it takes to run the service — never a profit on the test itself; Mito makes its money on the $9 membership, not on marking up your tests. Membership is $9/mo, and you still pay the lab’s order fee. Prices are itemized before you pay, with no hidden fees.
Where do I get tested?
Choose a partner lab (Quest, Labcorp, or BioReference) at checkout. If your cart spans multiple tests, we consolidate the whole order onto a single lab so you only make one visit.
Is this eligible for HSA/FSA?
Yes. This test is HSA/FSA eligible, and you can pay with your HSA/FSA card at checkout.
When will I get my results?
Your results post to your dashboard once your lab completes them, then a clinician reviews them and your full analysis and personalized action plan (with clear next steps) follow. Turnaround varies by test: specialty assays and at-home kits take longer, and each test shows its expected turnaround before you buy.
Do I need a doctor’s order?
No. Mito provides the lab order for you, so you can book and get tested without a separate doctor visit.
Recently viewed
Loading essentials…