In recent years, an increasing number of studies have confirmed procalcitonin (PCT) to be one of the most reliable serological markers for bacterial infection and sepsis [1-3]; in particular, its use has become widespread (first in Europe and, recently, in the US since its approval by the FDA in 2006) for differentiating between sepsis and systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) [3], and guiding empirical antibiotic therapy [4, 5] in community-acquired pneumonia and sepsis. The gene discussed is CALCA; the disease is systemic inflammatory response syndrome.