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Friebel J, Schinnerling K, Weigt K, Heldt C, Fromm A, Bojarski C, Siegmund B, Epple HJ, Kikhney J, Moter A, Schneider T, Schulzke JD, Moos V, Schumann M. Uptake of Tropheryma whipplei by Intestinal Epithelia. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24076197. [PMID: 37047170 PMCID: PMC10094206 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24076197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2022] [Revised: 03/18/2023] [Accepted: 03/21/2023] [Indexed: 03/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: Tropheryma whipplei (TW) can cause different pathologies, e.g., Whipple’s disease and transient gastroenteritis. The mechanism by which the bacteria pass the intestinal epithelial barrier, and the mechanism of TW-induced gastroenteritis are currently unknown. Methods: Using ex vivo disease models comprising human duodenal mucosa exposed to TW in Ussing chambers, various intestinal epithelial cell (IEC) cultures exposed to TW and a macrophage/IEC coculture model served to characterize endocytic uptake mechanisms and barrier function. Results: TW exposed ex vivo to human small intestinal mucosae is capable of autonomously entering IECs, thereby invading the mucosa. Using dominant-negative mutants, TW uptake was shown to be dynamin- and caveolin-dependent but independent of clathrin-mediated endocytosis. Complementary inhibitor experiments suggested a role for the activation of the Ras/Rac1 pathway and actin polymerization. TW-invaded IECs underwent apoptosis, thereby causing an epithelial barrier defect, and were subsequently subject to phagocytosis by macrophages. Conclusions: TW enters epithelia via an actin-, dynamin-, caveolin-, and Ras-Rac1-dependent endocytosis mechanism and consecutively causes IEC apoptosis primarily in IECs invaded by multiple TW bacteria. This results in a barrier leak. Moreover, we propose that TW-packed IECs can be subject to phagocytic uptake by macrophages, thereby opening a potential entry point of TW into intestinal macrophages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julian Friebel
- Department of Cardiology, Angiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Deutsches Herzzentrum der Charité, 12203 Berlin, Germany
- Department of Gastroenterology, Infectiology and Rheumatology, Campus Benjamin Franklin, Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, 12203 Berlin, Germany
- Berlin Institute of Health at Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, 10117 Berlin, Germany
| | - Katina Schinnerling
- Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad Andrés Bello, Santiago 8370146, Chile
| | - Kathleen Weigt
- Department of Gastroenterology, Infectiology and Rheumatology, Campus Benjamin Franklin, Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, 12203 Berlin, Germany
| | - Claudia Heldt
- Department of Gastroenterology, Infectiology and Rheumatology, Campus Benjamin Franklin, Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, 12203 Berlin, Germany
| | - Anja Fromm
- Institute of Clinical Physiology, Campus Benjamin Franklin, Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, 12203 Berlin, Germany
| | - Christian Bojarski
- Department of Gastroenterology, Infectiology and Rheumatology, Campus Benjamin Franklin, Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, 12203 Berlin, Germany
| | - Britta Siegmund
- Department of Gastroenterology, Infectiology and Rheumatology, Campus Benjamin Franklin, Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, 12203 Berlin, Germany
| | - Hans-Jörg Epple
- Department of Gastroenterology, Infectiology and Rheumatology, Campus Benjamin Franklin, Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, 12203 Berlin, Germany
| | - Judith Kikhney
- Institute for Microbiology, Infectious Diseases, and Immunology, Biofilmcenter, Campus Benjamin Franklin, Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, 12203 Berlin, Germany
- MoKi Analytics GmbH, 12207 Berlin, Germany
| | - Annette Moter
- Institute for Microbiology, Infectious Diseases, and Immunology, Biofilmcenter, Campus Benjamin Franklin, Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, 12203 Berlin, Germany
- German Konsiliarlabor for Tropheryma whipplei, 10117 Berlin, Germany
- Moter Diagnostics, 12207 Berlin, Germany
| | - Thomas Schneider
- Department of Gastroenterology, Infectiology and Rheumatology, Campus Benjamin Franklin, Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, 12203 Berlin, Germany
| | - Jörg D. Schulzke
- Department of Gastroenterology, Infectiology and Rheumatology, Campus Benjamin Franklin, Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, 12203 Berlin, Germany
- Institute of Clinical Physiology, Campus Benjamin Franklin, Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, 12203 Berlin, Germany
| | - Verena Moos
- Department of Gastroenterology, Infectiology and Rheumatology, Campus Benjamin Franklin, Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, 12203 Berlin, Germany
| | - Michael Schumann
- Department of Gastroenterology, Infectiology and Rheumatology, Campus Benjamin Franklin, Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, 12203 Berlin, Germany
- Berlin Institute of Health at Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, 10117 Berlin, Germany
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +49-30-450-513536
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Verhage AR, Nagtegaal ID, van der Feen C, Wolfs TFW. Through the Looking Glass: A Child With Arthralgia, Malaise and Weight Loss. Pediatr Infect Dis J 2023:00006454-990000000-00347. [PMID: 36795585 DOI: 10.1097/inf.0000000000003869] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/17/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Aline R Verhage
- From the Department of Pediatric infectious diseases, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht.,University Medical Center of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | | | | | - Tom F W Wolfs
- From the Department of Pediatric infectious diseases, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht
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Intestinal Helminth Infections in Ghanaian Children from the Ashanti Region between 2007 and 2008—A Retrospective Cross-Sectional Real-Time PCR-Based Assessment. Trop Med Infect Dis 2022; 7:tropicalmed7110374. [DOI: 10.3390/tropicalmed7110374] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2022] [Revised: 10/18/2022] [Accepted: 11/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
In spite of ongoing eradication programs, helminth infections are still a medical issue in Ghana. For follow-up assessments on the decline of regional helminth infections, historic baseline prevalence values obtained with standardized diagnostic procedures can be helpful. In this retrospective cross-sectional study, real-time PCR targeting the nematodes Ancylostoma spp. (ITS2), Ascaris lumbricoides (ITS1), Enterobius vermicularis (ITS1), Necator americanus (ITS2), Strongyloides stercoralis (18S rRNA) and Trichuris trichiura (18S rRNA), the trematodes Schistosoma spp. (ITS2) as well as the cestodes Hymenolepis nana (ITS1), Taenia saginata (ITS1) and Taenia solium (ITS1) was applied with 2046 DNA eluates from stool samples of Ghanaian children from the Ashanti region collected between 2007 and 2008 in order to retrospectively define prevalence values. The overall prevalence was low with 3.8% (n = 77) and only 0.1% (n = 2) double infections with helminths were recorded. The three most frequently detected enteric helminth species comprised 2% S. stercoralis (n = 41), 0.8% H. nana (n = 16), and 0.7% N. americanus (n = 14), while only sporadic infection events were recorded for other helminth species comprising 0.1% E. vermicularis (n = 2), 0.1% Schistosoma spp. (n = 2), 0.1% T. saginata (n = 1) and 0.1% T. trichiura (n = 1). A. lumbricoides, Ancylostoma spp. and T. solium were not detected at all. In conclusion, the retrospective assessment suggests a low prevalence of enteric helminth infections in Ghanaian children from the Ashanti Region within the assessment period between 2007 and 2008.
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Makka S, Papadogiannaki I, Voulgari-Kokota A, Georgakopoulou T, Koutantou M, Angelakis E. Tropheryma whipplei Intestinal Colonization in Migrant Children, Greece. Emerg Infect Dis 2022; 28:1926-1928. [PMID: 35997529 PMCID: PMC9423926 DOI: 10.3201/eid2809.220068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
We obtained fecal samples from migrant children <12 years of age throughout hotspots in Greece and tested them for Tropheryma whipplei by using a quantitative PCR assay. We identified 6 genotypes of T. whipplei, 4 of which are newly described. Our findings suggest a high prevalence of T. whipplei in these regions.
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Multicentric Evaluation of SeeGene Allplex Real-Time PCR Assays Targeting 28 Bacterial, Microsporidal and Parasitic Nucleic Acid Sequences in Human Stool Samples. Diagnostics (Basel) 2022; 12:diagnostics12041007. [PMID: 35454056 PMCID: PMC9032746 DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics12041007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2022] [Revised: 04/13/2022] [Accepted: 04/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Prior to the implementation of new diagnostic techniques, a thorough evaluation is mandatory in order to ensure diagnostic reliability. If positive samples are scarcely available, however, such evaluations can be difficult to perform. Here, we evaluated four SeeGene Allplex real-time PCR assays amplifying a total of 28 bacteria, microsporidal and parasitic nucleic acid sequence targets in human stool samples in a multicentric approach. In the assessments with strongly positive samples, sensitivity values ranging between 13% and 100% were recorded for bacteria, between 0% and 100% for protozoa and between 7% and 100% for helminths and microsporidia; for the weakly positive samples, the recorded sensitivity values for bacteria ranged from 0% to 100%; for protozoa, from 0% to 40%; and for helminths and microsporidia, from 0% to 53%. For bacteria, the recorded specificity was in the range between 87% and 100%, while a specificity of 100% was recorded for all assessed PCRs targeting parasites and microsporidia. The intra- and inter-assay variations were generally low. Specifically for some helminth species, the sensitivity could be drastically increased by applying manual nucleic acid extraction instead of the manufacturer-recommended automatic procedure, while such effects were less obvious for the bacteria and protozoa. In summary, the testing with the chosen positive control samples showed varying degrees of discordance between the evaluated Allplex assays and the applied in-house reference assays associated with higher cycle threshold values in the Allplex assays, suggesting that samples with very low pathogen densities might be missed. As the targeted species can occur as harmless colonizers in the gut of individuals in high-endemicity settings as well, future studies should aim at assessing the clinical relevance of the latter hint.
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Boumaza A, Ben Azzouz E, Arrindell J, Lepidi H, Mezouar S, Desnues B. Whipple's disease and Tropheryma whipplei infections: from bench to bedside. THE LANCET INFECTIOUS DISEASES 2022; 22:e280-e291. [DOI: 10.1016/s1473-3099(22)00128-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2021] [Revised: 01/28/2022] [Accepted: 02/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
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Sayyahfar S, Latifian M, Esmaeili P, Baseri N, Bagheri Amiri F, Bakhshi B, Esteghamati A, Esmaeili S. Tropheryma whipplei in the stool samples of children with acute diarrhea: a study from Tehran, Iran. BMC Infect Dis 2022; 22:193. [PMID: 35220952 PMCID: PMC8883655 DOI: 10.1186/s12879-022-07198-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2021] [Accepted: 02/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Background
Recently, Tropheryma whipplei has been suggested as one of the causative agents of diarrhea among children worldwide. Limited data is available on the prevalence of T. whipplei among children with diarrhea in most countries such as Iran. This study was conducted to evaluate the prevalence of T. whipplei in children with acute diarrhea in Iran.
Methods
In this study, the stool samples were collected from 130 children under 10 years old with acute diarrhea from children's hospitals in Tehran city. Genomic DNA was extracted from stool samples and was tested for the presence of DNA of T. whipplei using the SYBR Green Real-time PCR method. Positive T. whipplei samples were finally confirmed by PCR Product sequencing.
Results
The mean age of participants was 32.5 months, and 54.6% of children were female. Using the SYBR Green Real-time PCR, 9.23% (12/130) of samples were positive for T. whipplei, which were confirmed by sequencing. 66.67% of positive cases were males. The duration of diarrhea in infected children with T. whipplei (83.3%) was significantly longer (OR: 5.93, 95% CI 1.24–28.22) compared to children with negative results (45.8%). Other demographic factors and clinical signs had not a statistically significant relationship with T. whipplei infection.
Conclusions
In this study, T. whipplei was detected in stool samples of children with acute diarrhea. The results indicated that T. whipplei could be associated with childhood diarrhea in Iran. The health care system and physicians should be aware of the presence of T. whipplei infection in Iran, especially in childhood diarrhea.
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Seasonal Patterns of Enteric Pathogens in Colombian Indigenous People—A More Pronounced Effect on Bacteria Than on Parasites. Pathogens 2022; 11:pathogens11020214. [PMID: 35215157 PMCID: PMC8875320 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens11020214] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2021] [Revised: 02/04/2022] [Accepted: 02/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Enteric pathogens, which are frequently food- and waterborne transmitted, are highly abundant in Indigenous people living in remote rural areas of Colombia. As the frequency of gastroenteritis in the tropics shows seasonal differences, we analyzed variations of pathogen patterns in the stool samples of a Colombian Indigenous tribe called Wiwa during the dry (n = 105) and the rainy (n = 227) season, applying real-time PCR from stool samples and statistical analysis based on a multi-variable model. Focusing on bacterial pathogens, increased detection rates could be confirmed for enteropathogenic, enterotoxigenic and enteroaggregative Escherichia coli with a tendency for an increase in Campylobacter jejuni detections during the rainy season, while there was no seasonal effect on the carriage of Tropheryma whipplei. Salmonellae were recorded during the rainy season only. A differentiated pattern was seen for the assessed parasites. Entamoeba histolytica, Necator americanus and Trichuris trichiura were increasingly detected during the rainy season, but not Ascaris lumbricoides, Giardia duodenalis, Hymenolepis nana, Strongyloides stercoralis, and Taenia solium, respectively. Increased detection rates during the dry season were not recorded. Negative associations were found for Campylobacter jejuni and Giardia duodenalis with age and for Tropheryma whipplei with the body mass index, respectively. Positive associations of enteropathogenic Escherichia coli and Taenia solium detections were observed with age. In conclusion, facilitating effects of the tropical rainy season were more pronounced on bacterial enteric pathogens compared to enteropathogenic parasites.
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Eberhardt KA, Sarfo FS, Klupp EM, Dompreh A, Di Cristanziano V, Osei Kuffour E, Boateng R, Norman B, Phillips RO, Aepfelbacher M, Feldt T. Intestinal Colonization with Tropheryma whipplei-Clinical and Immunological Implications for HIV Positive Adults in Ghana. Microorganisms 2021; 9:1781. [PMID: 34442860 PMCID: PMC8400997 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9081781] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2021] [Revised: 08/13/2021] [Accepted: 08/18/2021] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Recent studies demonstrated higher prevalence rates of Tropheryma whipplei (T. whipplei) in HIV positive than in HIV negative subjects. However, associations with the immune status in HIV positive participants were conflicting. METHODS For this cross-sectional study, stool samples of 906 HIV positive and 98 HIV negative individuals in Ghana were tested for T. whipplei. Additionally, sociodemographic parameters, clinical symptoms, medical drug intake, and laboratory parameters were assessed. RESULTS The prevalence of T. whipplei was 5.85% in HIV positive and 2.04% in HIV negative participants. Within the group of HIV positive participants, the prevalence reached 7.18% in patients without co-trimoxazole prophylaxis, 10.26% in subjects with ART intake, and 12.31% in obese participants. Frequencies of clinical symptoms were not found to be higher in HIV positive T. whipplei carriers compared to T. whipplei negative participants. Markers of immune activation were lower in patients colonized with T. whipplei. Multivariate regression models demonstrated an independent relationship of a high CD4+ T cell count, a low HIV-1 viral load, and an obese body weight with the presence of T. whipplei. CONCLUSIONS Among HIV positive individuals, T. whipplei colonization was associated with a better immune status but not with clinical consequences. Our data suggest that the withdrawal of co-trimoxazole chemoprophylaxis among people living with HIV on stable cART regimen may inadvertently increase the propensity towards colonization with T. whipplei.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kirsten Alexandra Eberhardt
- Department of Tropical Medicine, Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine & I. Department of Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, 20359 Hamburg, Germany
- Institute for Transfusion Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, 20251 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Fred Stephen Sarfo
- Department of Medicine, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, 00233 Kumasi, Ghana; (F.S.S.); (B.N.); (R.O.P.)
- Department of Medicine, Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, 00233 Kumasi, Ghana
| | - Eva-Maria Klupp
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, Virology and Hygiene, University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf, 20251 Hamburg, Germany; (E.-M.K.); (M.A.)
| | - Albert Dompreh
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, 00233 Kumasi, Ghana; (A.D.); (R.B.)
| | - Veronica Di Cristanziano
- Institute of Virology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, 50935 Cologne, Germany;
| | - Edmund Osei Kuffour
- Laboratory of Retrovirology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA;
| | - Richard Boateng
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, 00233 Kumasi, Ghana; (A.D.); (R.B.)
| | - Betty Norman
- Department of Medicine, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, 00233 Kumasi, Ghana; (F.S.S.); (B.N.); (R.O.P.)
- Department of Medicine, Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, 00233 Kumasi, Ghana
| | - Richard Odame Phillips
- Department of Medicine, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, 00233 Kumasi, Ghana; (F.S.S.); (B.N.); (R.O.P.)
- Department of Medicine, Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, 00233 Kumasi, Ghana
- Kumasi Center for Collaborative Research in Tropical Medicine, 00233 Kumasi, Ghana
| | - Martin Aepfelbacher
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, Virology and Hygiene, University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf, 20251 Hamburg, Germany; (E.-M.K.); (M.A.)
| | - Torsten Feldt
- Clinic of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Infectious Diseases, University Hospital Düsseldorf, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany;
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Feurle GE, Moos V, Landt O, Corcoran C, Reischl U, Maiwald M. Tropheryma whipplei in Feces of Patients with Diarrhea in 3 Locations on Different Continents. Emerg Infect Dis 2021; 27:932-935. [PMID: 33622479 PMCID: PMC7920677 DOI: 10.3201/eid2703.200182] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
We examined fecal specimens of patients with diarrhea from 3 continents for Tropheryma whipplei and enteropathogens. T. whipplei was most common in South Africa, followed by Singapore and Germany. Its presence was associated with the presence of other pathogens. An independent causative role in diarrhea appears unlikely.
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Assessment of the burden of malaria and bacteraemia by retrospective molecular diagnosis in febrile illnesses and first-line anti-infectives in Côte d'Ivoire. Travel Med Infect Dis 2021; 43:102105. [PMID: 34146685 DOI: 10.1016/j.tmaid.2021.102105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2020] [Revised: 04/21/2021] [Accepted: 06/04/2021] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The aetiologies of fever are poorly understood in sub-Saharan Africa. We aimed to assess the burden of malaria and bacteria in Côte d'Ivoire. METHODS Blood samples from 438 febrile and 346 afebrile people were screened using molecular tools. RESULTS Plasmodium falciparum was the most common microorganism associated with fever (46.8% in febrile, 23.4% in afebrile people; p < 0.001). Bacteraemia was detected in 21.7% of febrile people and 12.7% of afebrile people (p = 0.001). Streptococcus pneumoniae was the main cause of bacteraemia (7.1% of febrile and 0.6% of afebrile individuals; p < 0.001). Non-typhoidal Salmonella spp. was detected in 4.5% of febrile people and 1.2% of afebrile individuals (p < 0.001). Salmonella enterica Typhi and S. enterica Paratyphi were only detected in febrile subjects (1.4% and 2.1%), as well as Tropheryma whipplei (0.9%), Streptococcus pyogenes (0.7%), and Plasmodium ovale (4.6%). The prevalence in febrile and afebrile people was similar for Staphylococcus aureus (3.6-4.9%), Rickettsia felis (5.5-6.4%), Mansonella perstans (3.0-3.2%), and Plasmodium malariae (1.6-2.3%). Comorbidities were higher in febrile than in afebrile subjects (10.3% versus 5.5%; p = 0.01); 82% involving P. falciparum. All patients co-infected with P. falciparum and S. pneumoniae were febrile whereas 30% of those infected by P. falciparum alone were not (p = 0.02). Among febrile participants, 30.4% with malaria and 54.7% with bacteraemia had received neither antimalarial nor antibiotic therapy. CONCLUSION Identification of etiologies of acute febrile diseases in sub-Saharan Africa proposes keys to successful treatment and prevention of infectious diseases. Vaccination campaigns may decrease the morbidity of mono- and co-infections by preventable microorganisms.
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Loderstädt U, Hagen RM, Hahn A, Frickmann H. New Developments in PCR-Based Diagnostics for Bacterial Pathogens Causing Gastrointestinal Infections-A Narrative Mini-Review on Challenges in the Tropics. Trop Med Infect Dis 2021; 6:tropicalmed6020096. [PMID: 34199650 PMCID: PMC8293448 DOI: 10.3390/tropicalmed6020096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2021] [Revised: 05/31/2021] [Accepted: 05/31/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The application of modern PCR approaches for the diagnosis of bacterial gastrointestinal pathogens is on the rise due to their rapidly available results combined with high sensitivity. While multiple studies describe the ongoing implementation of this technique for routine diagnostic purposes in laboratories in Western industrialized countries, reports on successful and also sustainable respective approaches in resource-poor tropical settings are still scarce. In order to shed light on potential reasons for this marked discrepancy, this narrative review summarizes identified challenges for the application of diagnostic PCR targeting bacterial gastrointestinal pathogens from stool samples in the tropics. The identified and discussed issues comprise the lack of generally accepted definitions for (1) minimum standards regarding sample acquisition, storage and transport time for diagnostic PCR analyses in the tropics, (2) nucleic acid extraction standards allowing an optimum detection of all types of pathogens which may be responsible for gastroenteritis in the tropics, (3) validation standards to ensure comparable quality of applied diagnostic assays, and (4) cut-offs for a reliable discrimination of infection and mere colonization in areas where semi-immunity due to repeated exposition associated with poor hygiene conditions has to be expected. Further implementation research is needed to solve those issues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ulrike Loderstädt
- Institute for Infection Control and Infectious Diseases, University Medical Center Göttingen, 37075 Göttingen, Germany;
| | - Ralf Matthias Hagen
- Department of Microbiology and Hospital Hygiene, Bundeswehr Central Hospital Koblenz, Andernacher Str. 100, 56070 Koblenz, Germany;
| | - Andreas Hahn
- Institute for Medical Microbiology, Virology and Hygiene, University Medicine Rostock, 18057 Rostock, Germany;
| | - Hagen Frickmann
- Institute for Medical Microbiology, Virology and Hygiene, University Medicine Rostock, 18057 Rostock, Germany;
- Department of Microbiology and Hospital Hygiene, Bundeswehr Hospital Hamburg, 20359 Hamburg, Germany
- Correspondence: or or ; Tel.: +49-40-6947-28743
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Heinemann M, Strauchs C, Lütgehetmann M, Aepfelbacher M, Klupp EM, Owusu-Dabo E, Rolling T, Cramer JP, Vinnemeier CD. Polymicrobial enteric infections in African infants with diarrhoea-results from a longitudinal prospective case-control study. Clin Microbiol Infect 2021; 27:1792-1798. [PMID: 33813114 DOI: 10.1016/j.cmi.2021.03.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2020] [Revised: 03/05/2021] [Accepted: 03/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES This longitudinal case-control study aimed to determine the frequency of polymicrobial enteric detections in Ghanaian infants with and without diarrhoea. METHODS Infants aged 1-12 months with and without diarrhoea attending the outpatient department of a peri-urban Ghanaian hospital were prospectively assessed and stool samples were collected on days 0, 6 and 28 and analysed for 18 enteric pathogens with PCR. RESULTS At least one enteric pathogen was detected in 100 of 107 cases with diarrhoea (93%) and in 82 of 97 controls (85%). The number of pathogens was higher in cases than in controls (median three versus two pathogens, p 0.001). The adjusted attributable fraction (AF) for diarrhoea was highest for enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (7.2%, 95% CI -2.0% to 16.3%), rotavirus (4.1%, 95% CI 0.6%-7.5%), Giardia lamblia (2.3%, 95% CI -0.7 to 5.3%) and astrovirus (2.3%, 95% CI -2.9 to 7.5%). In cases, a higher pathogen number was significantly associated with watery stool consistency (median 3, interquartile range (IQR) 2-5 versus median 2.5, IQR 1-4, p 0.014), stool frequency five or more per day (median 4, IQR 3-5 versus median 3, IQR 2-4, p 0.048) and vomiting (median 4, IQR 3-5 versus median 3, IQR 2-4, p 0.025). During follow-up, 94% (78/83) of cases and 85% (67/79) of controls had acquired at least one new pathogen without developing a new episode of diarrhoea. CONCLUSION Enteric pathogens could be identified in the stool of the vast majority of Ghanaian infants, whereby pathogens were very frequently acquired without resulting in new episodes of diarrhoea during follow-up. A higher number of co-occurring pathogens may increase the risk of diarrhoea and disease severity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melina Heinemann
- Division of Infectious Diseases, I. Department of Medicine, University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany; Department of Tropical Medicine, Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Cornelia Strauchs
- Department of Tropical Medicine, Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine & I. Department of Medicine, University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Marc Lütgehetmann
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, Virology and Hygiene, University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Martin Aepfelbacher
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, Virology and Hygiene, University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Eva-Maria Klupp
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, Virology and Hygiene, University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Ellis Owusu-Dabo
- Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research in Tropical Medicine, Kumasi, Ghana
| | - Thierry Rolling
- Division of Infectious Diseases, I. Department of Medicine, University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany; German Centre for Infection Research (DZIF), Hamburg-Lübeck-Borstel-Riems Site, Germany; Immunology Program, Sloan Kettering Institute, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Jakob P Cramer
- Department of Tropical Medicine, Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine & I. Department of Medicine, University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany; Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovation (CEPI), London, UK
| | - Christof D Vinnemeier
- Department of Tropical Medicine, Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine & I. Department of Medicine, University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany; German Centre for Infection Research (DZIF), Hamburg-Lübeck-Borstel-Riems Site, Germany.
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14
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Li W, Zhang Q, Xu Y, Zhang X, Huang Q, Su Z. Severe pneumonia in adults caused by Tropheryma whipplei and Candida sp. infection: a 2019 case series. BMC Pulm Med 2021; 21:29. [PMID: 33451316 PMCID: PMC7810182 DOI: 10.1186/s12890-020-01384-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2020] [Accepted: 12/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Whipple’s disease is a chronic infectious disease caused by the Gram-positive bacterium Tropheryma whipplei (TW), which not only affects the gastrointestinal tract and causes malabsorption of nutrients, but several other systems, such as the cardiovascular system, central nervous system, the joints, and the vascular system, can also be simultaneously involved. The aim of this report was to be able to alert the clinician to severe pneumonia caused by TW combined with Candida sp. Case presentation The case study was conducted on patients in September and November 2019. After routine examination and treatment, the results were not satisfactory. A bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) using metagenomics next-generation sequencing was conducted on two adults who presented with fever, cough, and progressive dyspnea and who had no history of gastrointestinal symptoms, immunodeficiency diseases, or use of immunosuppressive agents. TW and Candida sp. were detected in in BAL. Conclusions This is a report of life-threatening pneumonia caused by TW combined with Candida sp. in a Chinese population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Li
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, The Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, China
| | - Qun Zhang
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, The Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, China
| | - Yanling Xu
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, The Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, China
| | - Xiyue Zhang
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, The Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, China
| | - Qian Huang
- Department of Radiology, The Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, China
| | - Zhenzhong Su
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, The Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, China.
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15
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High Prevalence of Intestinal Pathogens in Indigenous in Colombia. J Clin Med 2020; 9:jcm9092786. [PMID: 32872252 PMCID: PMC7564226 DOI: 10.3390/jcm9092786] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2020] [Revised: 08/21/2020] [Accepted: 08/24/2020] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: Intestinal infections remain a major public health burden in developing countries. Due to social, ecological, environmental, and cultural conditions, Indigenous peoples in Colombia are at particularly high risk. Materials: 137 stool samples were analyzed by microscopy and real-time-Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR), targeting protozoan parasites (Giardia intestinalis, Entamoeba histolytica, Cryptosporidium spp., and Cyclospora cayetanensis), bacteria (Campylobacter jejuni, Salmonella spp., Shigella ssp./enteroinvasive E. coli (EIEC), Yersinia spp., enterohemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC), enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC), enterotoxin-producing E. coli (ETEC), enteroaggregative E. coli (EAEC), and Tropheryma whipplei), and helminths (Necator americanus, Strongyloides stercoralis, Ascaris lumbricoides, Ancylostoma spp., Trichuris. trichiura, Taenia spp., Hymenolepis nana, Enterobius vermicularis, and Schistosoma spp.). Microscopy found additional cases of helminth infections. Results: At least one pathogen was detected in 93% of the samples. The overall results revealed protozoa in 79%, helminths in 69%, and bacteria in 41%. G. intestinalis (48%), Necator/hookworm (27%), and EAEC (68%) were the most common in each group. Noteworthy, T. whipplei was positive in 7% and T. trichirua in 23% of the samples. A significant association of one infection promoting the other was determined for G. intestinalis and C. jejuni, helminth infections, and EIEC. Conclusions: The results illustrate the high burden of gastrointestinal pathogens among Indigenous peoples compared to other developing countries. Countermeasures are urgently required.
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16
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Eckbo EJ, Yansouni CP, Pernica JM, Goldfarb DM. New Tools to Test Stool: Managing Travelers' Diarrhea in the Era of Molecular Diagnostics. Infect Dis Clin North Am 2019; 33:197-212. [PMID: 30712762 DOI: 10.1016/j.idc.2018.10.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Travelers' diarrhea affects up to 60% of visitors to tropical and subtropical regions. Although symptoms are generally self-limited, some infections are associated with significant morbidity and occasional mortality. Newer molecular diagnostic techniques allow for highly sensitive, specific, and expeditious testing of a wide range of potential pathogens. Identification of the causative pathogen of travelers' diarrhea allows for targeted therapy and management and a reduction in empiric broad-spectrum coverage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric J Eckbo
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Division of Medical Microbiology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver General Hospital, 899 West 12th Avenue, Vancouver, British Columbia V5Z 1M9, Canada
| | - Cédric P Yansouni
- J.D. MacLean Centre for Tropical Diseases, McGill University Health Centre, 1001 Boulevard Decarie, Montreal, Quebec H4A 3J1, Canada
| | - Jeffrey M Pernica
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Infectious Diseases, McMaster University, Hamilton Health Sciences Centre, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, Ontario L8S 4K1, Canada
| | - David M Goldfarb
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Division of Medical Microbiology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada; Department of Pediatrics, Division of Infectious Diseases, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
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17
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Frickmann H, Hanke M, Hahn A, Schwarz NG, Landt O, Moter A, Kikhney J, Hinz R, Rojak S, Dekker D, Tannich E, Podbielski A. Detection of Tropheryma whipplei in stool samples by one commercial and two in-house real-time PCR assays. Trop Med Int Health 2018; 24:101-108. [PMID: 30347125 DOI: 10.1111/tmi.13172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Tropheryma whipplei, the causative agent of Whipple's disease, can also be identified in stool samples of humans without systemic disease. It is much more frequently detected in human stool samples in tropical environments than in industrialized countries. PCR-screening has been applied for point prevalence studies and environmental assessments in tropical settings, but results depend on the applied assay. We compared one commercial qPCR kit with two well-described in-house assays for detection of T. whipplei from stool. METHODS Residual materials from nucleic acid extractions of stool samples from two groups with presumably different prevalences and increased likelihood of being colonized or infected by T. whipplei were tested. One group comprised 300 samples from study participants from western Africa (group 1); the second group was of 300 returnees from tropical deployments (group 2). Each sample was assessed with all three qPCR assays. Cycle threshold (Ct ) values were descriptively compared. RESULTS Based solely on mathematical modeling, the three PCR assays showed considerably different detection rates of T. whipplei DNA in stool samples (kappa 0.67 (95% confidence interval [0.60, 0.73])). Considering the calculated test characteristics, prevalence of 28.3% for group 1 and 5.0% for group 2 was estimated. Discordant test results were associated with later Ct values. The study did not validate the assays for the detection of T. whipplei in Whipple's disease and for diagnostic purposes since clinical specificity and sensitivity were not investigated. CONCLUSIONS In spite of the observed diagnostic uncertainty, PCR-based screening approaches can be used for epidemiological purposes and environmental samples to define the source and reservoir in resource-limited tropical settings if prevalence is calculated using diagnostic accuracy-adjusted methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hagen Frickmann
- Department of Microbiology and Hospital Hygiene, Bundeswehr Hospital Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany.,Institute for Medical Microbiology, Virology and Hygiene, University Medicine Rostock, Rostock, Germany
| | - Miriam Hanke
- Institute for Medical Microbiology, Virology and Hygiene, University Medicine Rostock, Rostock, Germany
| | - Andreas Hahn
- Institute for Medical Microbiology, Virology and Hygiene, University Medicine Rostock, Rostock, Germany
| | - Norbert G Schwarz
- Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | | | - Annette Moter
- Institute for Microbiology, Charité - University Medicine Berlin, Berlin, Germany.,Biofilmcenter, German Heart Institute Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Judith Kikhney
- Institute for Microbiology, Charité - University Medicine Berlin, Berlin, Germany.,Biofilmcenter, German Heart Institute Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Rebecca Hinz
- Department of Microbiology and Hospital Hygiene, Bundeswehr Hospital Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Sandra Rojak
- Department of Microbiology and Hospital Hygiene, Bundeswehr Hospital Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany.,Department of Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease, Bundeswehr Hospital Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Denise Dekker
- Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Egbert Tannich
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Andreas Podbielski
- Institute for Medical Microbiology, Virology and Hygiene, University Medicine Rostock, Rostock, Germany
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18
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Fenollar F, Mediannikov O. Emerging infectious diseases in Africa in the 21st century. New Microbes New Infect 2018; 26:S10-S18. [PMID: 30402238 PMCID: PMC6205565 DOI: 10.1016/j.nmni.2018.09.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2018] [Revised: 08/29/2018] [Accepted: 09/06/2018] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Many infectious diseases have emerged or reemerged in Africa in the 21st century. Some of them are associated with newly discovered microorganisms such as Rickettsia felis and Tropheryma whipplei; others are known, historical diseases such as plague and cholera. In addition are diseases related to previously known microorganisms which recently have been involved for the first time in massive outbreaks with worldwide impacts (such as Ebola virus, Zika virus and Chikungunya virus). Research on emerging infectious diseases needs to be identified as a priority.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - O Mediannikov
- IRD, AP-HM, MEPHI, Aix-Marseille Université, IRD, IHU-Méditerranée Infection, Marseille, France
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19
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Clinical Manifestations, Treatment, and Diagnosis of Tropheryma whipplei Infections. Clin Microbiol Rev 2017; 30:529-555. [PMID: 28298472 DOI: 10.1128/cmr.00033-16] [Citation(s) in RCA: 88] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Whipple's disease is a rare infectious disease that can be fatal if left untreated. The disease is caused by infection with Tropheryma whipplei, a bacterium that may be more common than was initially assumed. Most patients present with nonspecific symptoms, and as routine cultivation of the bacterium is not feasible, it is difficult to diagnose this infection. On the other hand, due to the generic symptoms, infection with this bacterium is actually quite often in the differential diagnosis. The gold standard for diagnosis used to be periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) staining of duodenal biopsy specimens, but PAS staining has a poor specificity and sensitivity. The development of molecular techniques has resulted in more convenient methods for detecting T. whipplei infections, and this has greatly improved the diagnosis of this often missed infection. In addition, the molecular detection of T. whipplei has resulted in an increase in knowledge about its pathogenicity, and this review gives an overview of the new insights in epidemiology, pathogenesis, clinical manifestations, diagnosis, and treatment of Tropheryma whipplei infections.
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20
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Lagier JC, Fenollar F, Raoult D. Acute infections caused by Tropheryma whipplei. Future Microbiol 2017; 12:247-254. [DOI: 10.2217/fmb-2017-0178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Tropheryma whipplei is the causative bacterium of Whipple's disease. Its first culture has led to an enlargement of the field of the caused infections. Here, we comprehensively review acute T. whipplei infections. In a cohort study featuring 4000 children, T. whipplei was significantly more common in patients with diarrhea (4%) than in those without (1.7%). A case–controlled study highlighted 58 patients suffering from pneumonia with the detection of T. whipplei in their bronchoalveolar fluids. Finally, a recent study detected T. whipplei in the blood of 36 febrile patients experiencing pulmonary symptoms in a rural area of Senegal. T. whipplei is definitively an agent of acute gastroenteritis, a cause of nonmalarial fever in Africa, and probably a cause of pulmonary infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean-Christophe Lagier
- Aix Marseille Université, URMITE, IHU Méditerranée-Infection, UM63, CNRS 7278, IRD 198, INSERM 1095, 27 Boulevard Jean Moulin, 13385 Marseille Cedex 5, France
| | - Florence Fenollar
- Aix Marseille Université, URMITE, IHU Méditerranée-Infection, UM63, CNRS 7278, IRD 198, INSERM 1095, 27 Boulevard Jean Moulin, 13385 Marseille Cedex 5, France
| | - Didier Raoult
- Aix Marseille Université, URMITE, IHU Méditerranée-Infection, UM63, CNRS 7278, IRD 198, INSERM 1095, 27 Boulevard Jean Moulin, 13385 Marseille Cedex 5, France
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