Calprotectin in neonatal infections - jENS Congress 2025

New insights into early diagnosis of neonatal infections

We’ are excited to highlight an upcoming presentation at the Joint European Neonatal Societies (jENS) Congress 2025, where new evidence will be shared on the role of serum calprotectin in the early diagnosis of neonatal infections.

The short oral presentation, “Serum calprotectin as a routine biochemical parameter to improve early diagnosis of neonatal infections” will be delivered by Sabrina Holzapfel and Holger Michel from the University Children’s Hospital Regensburg (KUNO), Hospital St. Hedwig of the Order of St. John, University of Regensburg, on Thursday, 23rd October. The Gentian GCAL^® Calprotectin Immunoassay has been used in the study

Calprotectin in neonatal infections

New evidence in early diagnosis and antibiotic stewardship

Early identification of neonatal infections remains a major challenge in neonatology. Conventional biomarkers such as  C-reactive protein (CRP) and IL-6 are valuable, yet each has limitations in timing and specificity. At this year’s jENS, new findings will be shared demonstrating how serum calprotectin can complement these markers, supporting more accurate diagnosis and informed antibiotic decisions.

Key takeaways:

• How calprotectin compares with CRP and IL-6 in newborns with suspected infections and early-onset sepsis (EOS)
• Evidence from a recent study showing calprotectin’s strong diagnostic accuracy and robustness across the first 48 hours of life
• Added value of serum calprotectin in multimodal diagnostic strategies – combining with IL-6 in the early- and CRP in the late phase for improved specificity
• Clinical implications for antibiotic stewardship and patient management

The study, performed with the Gentian GCAL^® Calprotectin Immunoassay demonstrates calprotectin’s potential as a fast, reliable, automated assay requiring minimal sample volume – making it well suited for routine clinical practice. 

Circulating calprotectin (S100A8/A9 or MRP8/14)

A new standard in inflammation testing

Calprotectin, a neutrophil-derived protein complex (S100A8/ S100A9), is a key mediator of innate immunity. Released rapidly during inflammation, it acts as an alarmin and participates in both pro-inflammatory signalling and antimicrobial defence. Circulating calprotectin rises soon after infection onset and correlates with the degree of neutrophil activation and systemic inflammation. This makes it a valuable biomarker for early detection of infection and for assessing disease severity in clinical practice.^1-4

An early biomarker for the detection of
the inflammatory response to infections*

GCAL® - plasma and serum calprotectin:

Easy implementation in routine

The GCAL^® assay is intended for quantitative determination of calprotectin in plasma and serum as an aid in detection and assessment of inflammation and inflammatory response to infections. The test can be used for early detection and assessment of the inflammatory response to severe infections, where it is critical to get access to the results as soon as possible. 

Contact us

Explore GCAL^® in your clinical practice and laboratory - fill out the form or send an email to marketing@gentian.com for more information about the product and prices.

References: 

1. Pruenster M et al. S100A8/A9: From basic science to clinical application. Pharmacol Ther. 2016
2. Xie S et al. Serum level of S100A8/A9 as a biomarker for establishing the diagnosis and severity of community-acquired pneumonia in children. Front Cell Infect Microbiol. 2023
3. van Zoelen MA et al. Expression and role of myeloid-related protein-14 in clinical and experimental sepsis. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2009
4. Jonsson N et al. Calprotectin as an early biomarker of bacterial infections in critically ill patients: an exploratory cohort assessment. Crit Care Resusc. 2017
   
   

*The GCAL^® immunoassay is developed and manufactured by Gentian AS. GCAL^® is CE-marked in compliance with IVDR 2017/746 (CE 0123). The assay might not be registered for use in your country of residence and may not comply with applicable laws or regulations in that country. The assay is not cleared for use in the USA.