This report hypothesises an active role for the acute phase protein, C reactive protein (CRP), in local inflammatory reactions. This was studied in infarction sites from liver and kidney in a patient who died as a result of multiple complications after cholecystectomy. In this patient, a general acute phase protein reaction was induced, with an increase in plasma CRP. In infarction sites of kidney and liver, colocalisation of CRP and activated complement were found, whereas non-infarct sites were negative for CRP and complement. These results suggest that CRP directly participates in local inflammatory processes, possibly via complement activation, after binding of a suitable ligand.