Introduction: Reliable clinical and/or microbiological parameters from easy to obtain specimens that may be used to diagnose bacterial infections and rule out other infections not in need of antibiotic therapy have been largely lacking. In this perspective this prospective study was done prospectively with the intention of finding out the diagnostic power of PCT as a reliable marker to differentiate infectious from non-infectious wound discharge.

Material & Methods: A total of 300 patients who had undergone surgical procedure with no other evidence of any infection. Patients who either had immunocompromised states or didn’t give consent for inclusion were excluded from the study. Those patients who suffered from some other source of infection (respiratory or urinary infection) or any other septic foci, deviated from our study protocol, suffering from pre-op infection were excluded from the study.

Results: On comparing the serum levels of prolactine there is significant rise in procalcitonin level in patients with confirmed surgical site infection on the day of discharge from the surgical site with a p value of <0.001.

Conclusion: Using PCT, which mirrors the likelihood of bacterial infection and the severity of infection, to guide antibiotic therapy, is a persuasive, evidence-based approach to a more rational use of antibiotics.