CRP and infectious disease: C-reactive protein (CRP) in serum has been widely used as a marker for infectious disease.9 A population-based study in Finland reported the association of serum CRP concentration with bronchial asthma.10 Because high-sensitivity tests of CRP are now available, it is possible to detect slight inflammatory conditions or local tissue damage that would have been undetectable by previous methods.11 Serum CRP concentration has been reported to be useful for prediction of cardiovascular disease,12,13 because such concentrations have been associated with atherosclerosis.