Systemic Tropheryma whipplei: clinical presentation of 142 patients with infections diagnosed or confirmed in a reference center

Tips and tricks for a proper radiological assessment of abdominal and pelvic lymph nodes

The assessment of lymph node dimensions is a commonly used criterion in analyzing lymphatic involvement related to inflammatory or neoplastic diseases. However, it is important to understand that the interpretation of lymph nodes goes beyond simply considering their size. A pathologic lymph node can present with enlarged dimensions, a heterogeneous appearance, increased cortex thickness, irregular contours, or a lobulated shape. In this context, it is essential to consider not only the dimensions but also the morphology, attenuation, and enhancement of lymph nodes on imaging exams. This article aims to demonstrate how characteristics of lymph nodes, beyond their size, can provide crucial insights that assist in diagnostic reasoning, focusing on computed tomography. By emphasizing different enhancement patterns, attenuation, and the potential contents related to these patterns, the study seeks to show how these features can indicate possible differential diagnoses and guide more accurate clinical assessments.

Classic Whipple disease presenting as genuine pyrexia of unknown origin following immunosuppression with adalimumab

Whipple disease (WD) is a rare chronic multisystem infectious disorder caused by the bacterium Tropheryma whipplei (T. whipplei) and is more prevalent than previously thought. Its diagnosis is often delayed by months to years owing to its rarity, non-specific manifestations and insidious course. WD classically presents with polyarthropathy followed months to years later by the development of gastrointestinal symptoms, which often lead to the diagnosis. Pyrexia of unknown origin (PUO) without gastrointestinal involvement is an extremely rare presentation. We describe a case of WD presenting as genuine PUO following immunosuppression with the tumour necrosis factor-alpha monoclonal antibody adalimumab for seronegative polyarthropathy.

Tropheryma whipplei detected by metagenomic next-generation sequencing in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid

Whipple's disease is a chronic systemic infectious disease that mainly affects the gastrointestinal tract. In some cases, Tropheryma whipplei can cause infection at the implant site or even throughout the body. In this study, we collected alveolar lavage fluid samples from patients with Tropheryma whipplei from 2020 to 2022, and retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of Tropheryma whipplei positive patients. Patient's past history, clinical manifestations, laboratory examinations, chest CT findings, treatment, and prognosis were recorded. 16 BALFs (70/1725, 4.0 %) from 16 patients were positive for Tropheryma whipplei. 8 patients were male with an average age of 50 years. The main clinical symptoms of patients included fever (9/16), cough (7/16), dyspnea (7/16), and expectoration (5/16), but neurological symptoms and arthralgia were rare. Cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases were the most common comorbidity (n=8). The main laboratory characteristics of the patient are red blood cell count, hemoglobin, total protein and albumin below normal levels (11/16), and/or creatinine above normal levels(14/16). Most chest computed tomography mainly show focal or patchy heterogeneous infection (n=5) and pleural effusion (n=8). Among the 6 samples, Tropheryma whipplei was the sole agent, and Klebsiella pneumoniae was the most common detected other pathogens. Metagenomic next-generation sequencing technology has improved the detection rate and attention of Tropheryma whipplei. Further research is needed to distinguish whether Tropheryma whipplei present in respiratory samples is a pathogen or an innocent bystander.

Two cases demonstrate an association between Tropheryma whipplei and pulmonary marginal zone lymphoma

BACKGROUND

Marginal zone lymphomas of mucosa-associated lymphatic tissues (MZL of MALT) are a group of indolent B-cell neoplasms, which are thought to arise from chronic antigenic stimulation of B-cells either due to underlying chronic infection or autoimmune disease. Little is known about potential causative pathogens in pulmonary MZL (PMZL), although some data suggests a potential role of Achromobacter (A.) xylosoxidans.

METHODS

An index case of chronic pulmonary colonisation with Tropheryma (T.) whipplei and subsequent development of PMZL was identified by T. whipplei specific PCR and metagenomic next genome sequencing (mNGS). This case prompted a retrospectively conducted analysis of T. whipplei-specific PCRs in lung tissue from PMZL patients (n = 22), other pulmonary lymphomas, and normal controls. Positive results were confirmed by mNGS. A systematic search for T. whipplei and A. xylosoxidans in our in-house mNGS dataset comprising autopsy lungs, lung biopsies and lung resection specimens (n = 181) was subsequently performed.

RESULTS

A 69-year-old patient presented with weight loss and persistent pulmonary consolidation. Subsequent mNGS analysis detected T. whipplei in the resected lung specimen. An antibiotic regimen eventually eliminated the bacterium. However, the consolidation persisted, and the diagnosis of PMZL was made in a second lung resection specimen. A second case of T. whipplei-associated PMZL was subsequently detected in the retrospectively analysed PMZL cohort. Both cases showed comparatively few mutations and no mutations in genes encoding for NF-κB pathway components, suggesting that T. whipplei infection may substitute for mutations in these PMZL. None of the samples in our in-house dataset tested positive for T. whipplei. In contrast, A. xylosoxidans was frequently found in both autopsy lungs and lung biopsy / resection specimens that were not affected by PMZL (> 50%).

CONCLUSIONS

Our data suggests that T. whipplei colonisation of lungs may trigger PMZL as a potential driver. Systematic analyses with larger cohorts should be conducted to further support this hypothesis. The frequent detection of A. xylosoxidans in lung tissue suggests that it is a common component of the pulmonary microbiome and therefore less likely to trigger lymphomas.

An Unusual Case of Limbic Encephalitis Caused by Whipple Disease

Whipple disease (WD), a multisystemic infectious disorder caused by Tropheryma whipplei (T. whipplei), typically presents with gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms such as abdominal pain, diarrhea, GI bleeding, and weight loss. Uncommonly, it can also involve the central nervous system (CNS) and may present with a range of symptoms, including personality changes, dementia, and rhombencephalitis. Prompt antibiotic treatment and careful follow-up are crucial for favorable patient outcomes and a reduction in morbidity and mortality. In this case, we describe a 46-year-old male with primary CNS-WD and discuss the symptomatic manifestations, diagnostic findings, differential diagnosis, and management. This patient initially presented with arthritic complaints and, over a five-year period, developed progressive neurocognitive symptoms, including anxiety, panic attacks, retrograde amnesia, personality changes, aphasia, anhedonia, dysarthria, and rapidly progressive dementia. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed symmetric T2 fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) hyperintensities in the bilateral medial temporal lobes, hippocampi, and hypothalamus. A lumbar puncture (LP) showed mild pleocytosis and elevated protein, with no autoimmune or paraneoplastic causes. Temporal lobe biopsy revealed rod-like structures, and T. whipplei DNA was confirmed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). This case underscores the importance of maintaining a high index of suspicion for WD in patients presenting with atypical symptoms with rapidly progressive dementia, as early detection and management are key to circumventing irreversible neurological damage and death.

Case report: A patient with HHV-6 and HHV-7 combined with Whipple's trophoblast infection and streptococcal pneumonia

Adult respiratory distress syndrome due to viral pneumonia occurs predominantly in immunodeficient populations; adult respiratory distress syndrome secondary to human herpesvirus HHV-6 and HHV-7 pneumonia is extremely rare. Whipple's disease, caused by Tropheryma whipplei, a Gram-positive bacillus and obligate intracellular pathogen, is clinically challenging to diagnose. Whipple's disease is a chronic multisystem infectious disease caused by T. whipplei, most often affecting the gastrointestinal tract and joints, seldom the lungs. Both pathogens are opportunistic. We report a case of mixed infectious pneumonia in a patient with type 2 diabetes mellitus. The patient presented with dyspnea and intermittent fever. Imaging revealed multiple large patchy consolidations in the left lung. Routine anti-infective therapy was ineffective. Metagenomic next generation sequencing of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid indicated HHV-6 and HHV-7 pneumonia concurrent with T. whipplei and Streptococcus co-infections. Meropenem was administered to improve treatment. This case represents a rare mixed lung infection by multiple uncommon pathogens, and is of particular clinical significance.

Whipple Disease Presenting as Isolated Transverse Myelitis with Permanent Neurological Damage in a Patient with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: A Case Report of a Difficult Diagnosis with a Literature Review

We describe an atypical case of Whipple disease exclusively involving the spinal cord in an adolescent receiving immunosuppressive therapy for systemic lupus erythematosus. The diagnosis was particularly difficult since lupus and Whipple disease can present similar clinical features and the patient's prolonged contact with sewage was initially not mentioned. A literature review of the clinical, imaging, diagnostic, and therapeutic challenges of Whipple disease is also performed.

Whipple's disease: A rare disease that can be spotted by many doctors

Whipple's disease, an extremely rare, chronic infection caused by Tropheryma whipplei, an actinobacterium ubiquitously present in the environment, is a multisystemic condition that can affect several organs. Therefore, Whipple's disease should always be considered by physicians working across various branches of medicine, including internal medicine, rheumatology, infectious diseases, gastroenterology, haematology, and neurology. Initially, Whipple's disease is challenging to diagnose due to both its rarity and non-specific clinical features, almost indistinguishable from rheumatological conditions. A few years later, the onset of gastrointestinal symptoms increases the specificity of its clinical picture and helps in reaching the correct diagnosis. Diagnosis is typically made by finding PAS-positive macrophages in the lamina propria at duodenal biopsy. PCR for Tropheryma whipplei is nowadays also increasingly available, and represents an undeniable help in diagnosing this condition. However, it may also be misleading as false positives can occur. If not promptly recognized and treated, central nervous system involvement may develop, which can be fatal. The therapeutic gold standard has not yet been fully established, particularly in cases of recurrent disease, neurological involvement, and an immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome that may arise following the initiation of antibiotic therapy.

Diagnosis and treatment of Tropheryma whipplei infection in patients with inflammatory rheumatic disease: Data from the French Tw-IRD registry

OBJECTIVES

Tropheryma whipplei infection can manifest as inflammatory joint symptoms, which can lead to misdiagnosis of inflammatory rheumatic disease and the use of disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs. We investigated the impact of diagnosis and treatment of Tropheryma whipplei infection in patients with inflammatory rheumatic disease.

METHODS

We initiated a registry including patients with disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs-treated inflammatory rheumatic disease who were subsequently diagnosed with Tropheryma whipplei infection. We collected clinical, biological, treatment data of the inflammatory rheumatic disease, of Tropheryma whipplei infection, and impact of antibiotics on the evolution of inflammatory rheumatic disease.

RESULTS

Among 73 inflammatory rheumatic disease patients, disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs initiation triggered extra-articular manifestations in 27% and resulted in stabilisation (51%), worsening (34%), or improvement (15%) of inflammatory rheumatic disease. At the diagnosis of Tropheryma whipplei infection, all patients had rheumatological symptoms (mean age 58 years, median inflammatory rheumatic disease duration 79 months), 84% had extra-rheumatological manifestations, 93% had elevated C-reactive protein, and 86% had hypoalbuminemia. Treatment of Tropheryma whipplei infection consisted mainly of doxycycline plus hydroxychloroquine, leading to remission of Tropheryma whipplei infection in 79% of cases. Antibiotic treatment of Tropheryma whipplei infection was associated with remission of inflammatory rheumatic disease in 93% of cases and enabled disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs and glucocorticoid discontinuation in most cases.

CONCLUSIONS

Tropheryma whipplei infection should be considered in inflammatory rheumatic disease patients with extra-articular manifestations, elevated C-reactive protein, and/or hypoalbuminemia before disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs initiation or in inflammatory rheumatic disease patients with an inadequate response to one or more disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs. Positive results of screening and diagnostic tests for Tropheryma whipplei infection involve antibiotic treatment, which is associated with complete recovery of Tropheryma whipplei infection and rapid remission of inflammatory rheumatic disease, allowing disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs and glucocorticoid discontinuation.

A serological assay using Tropheryma whipplei antigens for the presumptive exclusion of Whipple disease

Whipple disease (WD) is a rare infection in genetically susceptible people caused by the bacterium Tropheryma whipplei. An indirect immunofluorescence serological assay (IFA), detecting patient antibodies to the bacterium, was developed using T. whipplei as antigen. We hypothesised that this assay could be used to rule out WD in patients in whom the diagnosis was being considered, based on high immunoglobulin (Ig) G titres to T. whipplei. In this study, 16 confirmed WD patients and 156 age-matched controls from across Australia were compared serologically. WD patients mostly underproduced IgG antibody to T. whipplei, with titres of ≤1:32 being common. While at an antibody titre of <1:64 the assay sensitivity for WD was only 69% [95% confidence interval (CI) 41-89%], its specificity for excluding WD was 91% (95% CI 85-95%). This specificity increased to 95% (95% CI 90-98%) at an antibody titre of <1:16. Patients with antibody titres of >1:64 were unlikely to have WD. At this titre, the seroprevalence of T. whipplei IgG antibody was 92% (223/242) in Australian blood donors. Unlike other serological assays, which are used to confirm a specific infection, this novel assay is designed to rule out WD infection with a specificity in Australia of 91%. Further validation of this assay, by trialling in other countries, should now be undertaken, as its usefulness is dependent on there being a high background seropositivity to T. whipplei in the general population at the location in which the assay is being used.

Whipple's Disease Presenting With a Chief Complaint of Dyspnea and Cough From Pulmonary Invasion Without Evidence of Gastrointestinal Involvement

A patient with immune thrombocytopenia, systemic lupus erythematosus on chronic corticosteroids, and interstitial lung disease was referred to the pulmonology clinic due to progressively worsening dyspnea. A bronchoscopy was done and a thorough workup was negative for any infectious pathology or malignancy. A lung biopsy with MicroGenDX test (MicroGen Diagnostics, Lubbock, TX) revealed Tropheryma whipplei, consistent with a Whipple disease diagnosis. Histopathology of biopsy specimens from an esophagogastroduodenoscopy showed moderate chronic active Helicobacter gastritis and unremarkable duodenal specimens without evidence of Tropheryma whipplei. For Helicobacter pylori gastritis, she was prescribed quadruple therapy with omeprazole, bismuth, metronidazole, and tetracycline. For pulmonary Whipple's disease, she completed two weeks of IV ceftriaxone, which led to improvement in dyspnea, and then was transitioned to 12 months of oral sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim. In rare cases, Whipple's disease can present as isolated pulmonary disease without gastrointestinal involvement, especially in immunosuppressed patients with compromised lungs.

The spectrum of central nervous system involvement in Whipple's disease

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

To assess the clinical spectrum of central nervous system (CNS) involvement as well as cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and neuroimaging findings in patients with Whipple's disease (WD) and to analyze the association of neurological symptoms with CSF and imaging findings.

METHODS

Neurological involvement was retrospectively analyzed in a series of 36 patients diagnosed with WD at a single center between 1992 and 2019. Findings of 81 comprehensive CSF examinations from 36 patients, including polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests for Tropheryma whipplei (TW) in CSF from 35 patients, were systematically evaluated. The prevalence of ischemic stroke in patients with WD was compared to a matched control cohort.

RESULTS

Neurological symptoms occurred in 23 of 36 (63.9%) patients, with cognitive, motor, and oculomotor dysfunction being most frequent. TW was detected by PCR in CSF of 13 of 22 (59.1%) patients with and four of 13 (30.8%, p = 0.0496) patients without neurological symptoms. Total CSF protein (p = 0.044) and lactate (p = 0.035) were moderately elevated in WD with neurologic symptoms compared with WD without. No intrathecal immunoglobulin synthesis was observed. Three of 36 (8.3%) patients had hydrocephalus due to aqueductal stenosis. Patients with WD had an unexpectedly high prevalence of ischemic stroke (10/36, 27.7%) compared to matched controls (10/360, 3.2%).

CONCLUSIONS

Neurological involvement in patients with WD is common. Detection of TW DNA in CSF is only partly associated with neurological symptoms. Elevated CSF parameters suggest CNS parenchymal infection. Stroke is a hitherto underrecognized manifestation of WD. These findings suggest that mechanisms beyond CNS infection contribute to the spectrum of CNS involvement in WD.

Use of bevacizumab in a patient with Whipple's disease: managing diagnostic uncertainty

A man in his 30s with intellectual disability presented with 1 month of diarrhoea, weight loss and dyspnoea. Investigations were hampered due to significant anxiety. Laboratory tests detected microcytic anaemia and hypoalbuminaemia. CT demonstrated a fat-containing infiltrate in the mediastinum, mesentery and axillae, and pulmonary ground-glass infiltrates. Biopsy of the axilla showed cystic lymphatic malformations involving adipose tissue and lymph nodes, leading to a provisional diagnosis of generalised lymphatic anomaly. Over the subsequent 4 months, the patient's respiratory status deteriorated, leading to type 1 respiratory failure necessitating intubation. After multidisciplinary discussion, a decision was made to trial bevacizumab, an anti-VEGF agent, with subsequent improvement in respiratory status. While intubated, gastroscopy was performed; duodenal biopsies revealed pathognomonic changes of Whipple's disease, confirmed on PCR of duodenal and axillae biopsies. This was deemed the most likely unifying diagnosis; antibiotic treatment was commenced, bevacizumab was ceased, and the patient has remained well after 18 months.

Current knowledge of the immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome in Whipple disease: a review

Immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome (IRIS) is characterized by exaggerated and dysregulated inflammatory responses that occur as a result of reconstitution of adaptive or innate immunity. A wide range of microorganisms have been found to be associated with IRIS, such as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), Mycobacterium and actinobacteria. Whipple disease (WD) is an infectious disorder caused by the Gram-positive bacterium Tropheryma whipplei (T. whipplei) and IRIS also serves as a complication during its treament. Although many of these pathological mechanisms are shared with related inflammatory disorders, IRIS in WD exhibits distinct features and is poorly described in the medical literature. Novel investigations of the intestinal mucosal immune system have provided new insights into the pathogenesis of IRIS, elucidating the interplay between systemic and local immune responses. These insights may be used to identify monitoring tools for disease prevention and to develop treatment strategies. Therefore, this review synthesizes these new concepts in WD IRIS to approach the feasibility of manipulating host immunity and immune reconstitution of inflammatory syndromes from a newer, more comprehensive perspective and study hypothetical options for the management of WD IRIS.

[Co-occurrence of Whipple's disease and hyperparathyroidism - coincidence or causal relationship?]

Whipple's disease is a rare infectious disease with multiple clinical manifestations. The disease is named after George Hoyt Whipple, who first recorded the illness in 1907 after conducting the autopsy of a 36-year-old man with weight loss, diarrhea, and arthritis. Under the microscope, Whipple discovered a rod-shaped bacterium in the patient's intestinal wall, which was not confirmed as a new bacterial species until 1992, when it was named Tropheryma whipplei.Recurrence of Whipple's disease can occur years after an initial diagnosis and often manifests with extraintestinal symptoms such as arthritides or skin efflorescences, years before a gastrointestinal complaint. However, the simultaneous occurrence of primary hyperparathyroidism in the present case is a hitherto unknown clinical picture and opens up new questions and perspectives in the context of diagnostics and therapy.

Whipple's Disease - delay of diagnosis by immunosuppressive therapy; a case-series report

BACKGROUND

Risk factors for the development of Whipple's disease (WD) are largely unknown. Case reports, case series, and reviews suggest immunosuppressive therapy as a potential triggering factor in WD. The low incidence of WD and non-specific symptoms at disease onset contribute to the frequent delay of diagnosis. We describe our centre´s experience on differences in the clinical presentation of patients with classic WD compared to patients with "masked" WD because of immunosuppressive therapy.

METHODS

In this retrospective case series, 8 patients were included. Diagnosis of WD was confirmed by histological staining of duodenal biopsies revealing T. whipplei within foamy macrophages or by PCR- based detection of specific T. whipplei DNA. Clinical manifestations, laboratory data, and medication have been recorded over a period of 19 years. Subgroup analyses for the two different variants of WD were performed.

RESULTS

Seven of eight patients were initially diagnosed with rheumatic disease (polyarthritis, polymyalgia rheumatica). One patient was correctly diagnosed at the beginning without any medication. Three patients were on immunosuppressive therapy and being treated with disease-modifying drugs (DMARDs), three patients were receiving low-dose cortisone in combination with non-steroidal anti- inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), and one patient was receiving NSAIDs only. All patients presented with increased parameters of inflammation and with clinical and/or laboratory signs of a malabsorption. From the onset of first symptoms, diagnosis of WD took a median of 36 months (range: 6-120 months). The time between onset of joint complaints and onset of gastrointestinal symptoms was 36 months (range: 0-117 months). WD patients receiving immunosuppressive therapy, compared to those not receiving it, had a longer duration of gastrointestinal symptoms (12 months versus 6 months) and reported a greater weight loss (20,3 kg versus 7,8 kg) up to diagnosis of WD.

CONCLUSIONS

Immunosuppressive drugs may delay the diagnosis of WD and prolong the course of T. whipplei infection with deterioration of clinical symptoms. If a patient with rheumatic complaints develops gastrointestinal symptoms, diagnosis of WD should be considered and proper diagnostic investigation carried out.

Experience in the diagnosis and treatment of pneumonia caused by infection with Tropheryma whipplei: A case series

Tropheryma whipplei (TW) is the root cause of Whipple's disease (WD), a rare infectious illness leading to multi-organ impairment. A prominent feature of WD is acute pneumonia, which can be exceedingly challenging to diagnose clinically due to the pathogen's surreptitious nature. However and significantly, with the advent of metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), it offers clinicians a potent tool at their disposal to detect TW infections. The present study conducted a retrospective analysis of clinical data gleaned from five patients in Hunan Province in China. Findings in this study demonstrated the potential of BALF-mNGS in diagnosing pneumonia caused by TW infection.

[Massive pancarditis-autopsy report]

We report on a 69-year-old man suffering from chronic progressive oligoarthritis (localized in metacarpal and knee joints), which clinically was interpreted as steroid-sensitive seronegative chronic arthritis. The patient died from sudden death at the emergency department after a 4-week history of increasing cough and dyspnea (meanwhile obtaining negative testing results for SARS-CoV-2). During the autopsy, we found massive pancarditis affecting all cardiac compartments, in particular exhibiting constrictive pericarditis, myocarditis, and multivalvular endocarditis. Microscopically, interstitial myocarditis could be observed. Performing extensive molecular analyses, we detected Tropheryma whipplei in the tissue specimens of the heart, but not in various duodenal tissue probes or in the synovial membrane. Taken together, in the present case the cause of death was acute cardiac failure due to multivalvular pancarditis due to T. whipplei. Besides from classical symptoms and morphological signs, Whipple's disease may present with various features. Regarding the differential diagnosis of a chronic multisystem disorder with aspects of hitherto unknown arthralgia, Whipple's disease should be considered.

Contribution of PCR to Differential Diagnosis between Patients with Whipple Disease and Tropheryma whipplei Carriers

Differentiation between Whipple disease (WD) patients and patients carrying Tropheryma whipplei but suffering from disease other than WD ("carriers") remains complex. We aimed to evaluate T. whipplei PCR among patients with WD and carriers in a large cohort at our referral clinical microbiology laboratory. This is an observational retrospective cohort study, including all patients between 2008 and 2020 with at least one positive result for T. whipplei using the real-time PCR RealCycler TRWH-UX kit. A total of 233 patients were included: 197 were considered carriers, and 36 had WD. Among the WD patients, 32 underwent biopsies, of which 18 (56%) had a positive periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) staining. Among the 27 duodenal biopsy specimens, 13 (48%) were PAS positive. PCR results before antibiotic treatment were positive in both feces and saliva in 16/21 WD (76%) patients and 68/197 (35%) carriers (P < 0.001). Duodenal biopsy specimens yielded positive PCR in 20/22 (91%) WD patients and 27/72 (38%) carriers (P < 0.001). The cycle threshold (C_T) value detected in duodenal biopsy specimens from WD patients was significantly lower than that of carriers (P < 0.001), regardless of the PAS staining results. For a diagnosis of WD, duodenal PCR sensitivity and specificity at a C_T value below 30 were 52.4% and >99.9%, respectively. The high specificity of duodenal PCR with low C_T values may help confirming the diagnosis of WD, especially in patients with negative PAS results in digestive biopsy specimens, who represent half of all patients. A low PCR C_T value from a duodenal biopsy specimen provides valuable guidance, especially in patients with PAS-negative results.

Why Is Whipple's Disease Still a Challenging Diagnosis? A Case Report and Brief Review of Literature

Whipple's disease (WD) is a rare multisystemic infectious disease caused by Tropheryma whipplei. The pathogenesis of Whipple's disease remains unknown and clinical experience relies solely on various case reports published in the literature. The disease may occur at any age, with most studies describing patients in their fifth decade. Classic WD mainly affects the gastrointestinal tract, but extraintestinal commitment can occur, with the most common manifestations being arthralgias, lymphadenopathy, fever, and neurological symptoms. We present a case of a 69-year-old woman who presented with fever, macular rash, abdominal pain, lymphadenopathy, pleural and pericardial effusion, weight loss, and severely altered mental status over seven days. Initial workup tests only revealed leucopenia, thrombocytopenia, and hyperferritinemia. Since the fever persisted despite antibiotic treatment, an extensive workup was required until the final diagnosis of classic WD through histological examination of duodenal biopsies. Treatment with ceftriaxone was implemented for two weeks, followed by trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole 160/800mg bid for 12 months. The patient presented full recovery and no recurrence after three years of follow-up. Even though WD was first described more than a century ago, WD is an elusive disease with a wide variety of clinical findings, leading to a still significant delay in diagnosis. WD should be considered in the differential diagnosis of rheumatologic disorders, chronic abdominal pain or diarrhea, neurological manifestations not suggestive of any other specific disease, non-caseating granulomatous diseases, and cases of lymphadenopathies. The authors aim to add additional clinical data and raise awareness for a rare condition that can be lethal if not timely treated. More studies and recommendations are needed concerning screening patients and treatment, with an urgent need to improve the delay in diagnosis.

An unusual presentation of Whipple’s disease: adenopathies, polyarthralgia and dermatomyositis-like symptoms

Whipple’s disease (WD) is a rare systemic disease caused by gram-positive bacillus bacteria that invades multiple organs mainly the intestinal epithelium. Its manifestation is not only limited to the gastrointestinal tract but it also affects the joints, muscle and skin. This is a case of a 54-year-old male patient with a medical history of chronic arthritis presenting with bilateral progressive calves pain, anterior tibial hyperpigmentation, joints pain, anemia and weight loss. He was misdiagnosed as rheumatoid arthritis, for which he was treated by immunosuppressors for several years with no amelioration. After advanced investigations, he was found to have multiple retroperitoneal and mesenteric adenopathies, with an incidental finding of a mesojejunal mass during laparoscopy, from which the biopsies revealed the presence of histiocytosis and numerous intra-cytoplasmic particles with positive periodic acid–Schiff (PAS) suggesting the diagnosis of WD. Endoscopy was done and intestinal histology with polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test confirmed the diagnosis of WD. The patient was then treated with antibiotics (ceftriaxone and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole) with a remarkable clinical amelioration. To be aware of WD as a potential etiology behind malabsorption, musculoskeletal and skin abnormalities, is the first step in order to establish the diagnosis and provide adequate treatment, thus, improving the patient’s quality of life. WD is a rare, without antibiotic treatment deadly systemic infectious disease caused by the ubiquitary Gram-positive bacterium Tropheryma whipplei. This article aims to report a case marked with dermatomyositis like presentation that had a missed and delayed diagnosis.

Whipple's disease review, prevalence, mortality, and characteristics in the United States: A cross-sectional national inpatient study

Whipple's disease is a rare multiorgan systemic disease caused by Tropheryma whipplei infection that may present with a wide range of signs and symptoms. This study aim to comprehensively review and determine the inpatient prevalence, mortality, risk factors, and reasons for hospitalization of patients with Whipple's disease. ICD-10 codes were used to identify admissions with Whipple's disease during the years 2016 to 2018. Characteristics of admissions with and without Whipple's disease were compared. The most common reasons for hospitalization were identified in admissions with Whipple's disease. The prevalence of Whipple's disease was 4.6 per 1 million hospitalizations during the study period. Whipple's disease admissions were significantly older than other hospitalizations, with a mean age of 60.2 ± 1.6 years compared to 50.0 ± 0.1. Males were more likely to have Whipple's disease and represented approximately two-thirds of hospitalizations. A disproportionate number of admissions occurred in the Midwest. Patients with Whipple's disease were most commonly admitted for gastrointestinal disease, followed by systemic infection, cardiovascular/circulatory disease, musculoskeletal disease, respiratory disease, and neurological disease. High mortality was seen in admissions for central nervous system (CNS) disease. Whipple's disease has heterogeneous presentations for inpatient admissions, and disproportionately affects older males. High hospitalization rates in the Midwest support environmental and occupational disease transmission likely from the soil. Hospitalists should be aware of the various acute, subacute, and chronic presentations of this disease, and that acute presentations may be more common in the inpatient setting.

Whipple's disease with normal duodenal histology diagnosed by ileal biopsy using balloon endoscopy

A 34 year-old previously healthy Japanese woman presented with a 4 year history of migratory arthralgia, chronic diarrhea, mild fever, and 10 kg weight loss. She was initially misdiagnosed with seronegative arthritis, followed by eosinophilic gastroenteritis. Oral prednisolone was found to be ineffective. Upper endoscopy revealed normal duodenal mucosa. Duodenal biopsy specimen indicated no abnormalities. However, balloon endoscopy revealed white shaggy villi in the ileum, and a biopsy specimen from which revealed diffuse infiltration of foamy macrophages in the lamina propria. These macrophages contained diastase-periodic acid-Schiff positive granules, consistent with Whipple's disease. Polymerase chain reaction analysis of DNA extracted from the ileum was compatible with Whipple's disease. In most previously reported cases of Whipple's disease, the duodenum was affected and duodenal biopsy specimens led to a diagnosis of Whipple's disease. Whipple's disease with normal duodenal histology is extremely rare and balloon endoscopy might be a useful diagnostic tool in such a case. The patient was treated with intravenous ceftriaxone and oral trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, and her symptoms improved one month after treatment. Balloon endoscopy performed 32 months later revealed complete improvement in lesions of the ileum.

Design of a Multi-Epitope Vaccine against Tropheryma whipplei Using Immunoinformatics and Molecular Dynamics Simulation Techniques

Whipple’s disease is caused by T. whipplei, a Gram-positive pathogenic bacterium. It is considered a persistent infection affecting various organs, more likely to infect males. There is currently no licensed vaccination available for Whipple’s disease; thus, the development of a chimeric peptide-based vaccine against T. whipplei has the potential to be tremendously beneficial in preventing Whipple’s disease in the future. The present study aimed to apply modern computational approaches to generate a multi-epitope-based vaccine that expresses antigenic determinants prioritized from the core proteome of two T. whipplei whole proteomes. Using an integrated computational approach, four immunodominant epitopes were found from two extracellular proteins. Combined, these epitopes covered 89.03% of the global population. The shortlisted epitopes exhibited a strong binding affinity for the B- and T-cell reference set of alleles, high antigenicity score, nonallergenic nature, high solubility, nontoxicity, and excellent binders of DRB1*0101. Through the use of appropriate linkers and adjuvation with a suitable adjuvant molecule, the epitopes were designed into a chimeric vaccine. An adjuvant was linked to the connected epitopes to boost immunogenicity and efficiently engage both innate and adaptive immunity. The physiochemical properties of the vaccine were observed favorable, leading toward the 3D modeling of the construct. Furthermore, the vaccine’s binding confirmation to the TLR-4 critical innate immune receptor was also determined using molecular docking and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, which shows that the vaccine has a strong binding affinity for TLR4 (−29.4452 kcal/mol in MM-GBSA and −42.3229 kcal/mol in MM-PBSA). Overall, the vaccine described here has a promising potential for eliciting protective and targeted immunogenicity, subject to further experimental testing.

Central Nervous System Whipple Disease Presenting as Hypersomnolence

Whipple disease (WD) is a rare systemic infection caused by Tropheryma whipplei (T. whipplei). Its clinical features are broad, and atypical clinical patterns such as the involvement of the heart, lungs, or the central nervous system (CNS) can occur. We report a case of a 58-year-old man who had been previously diagnosed with classic WD; he was evaluated for functional decline, extreme somnolence, and recurrent admissions for hydrocephalus. The patient was diagnosed with a neurologic relapse of WD after a positive T. whipplei polymerase chain reaction (PCR) from a cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) sample. He was successfully treated with IV ceftriaxone followed by oral trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP-SMX). In classic WD, the CNS symptoms usually present in the late phase of the disease or in the form of relapse, especially after an inadequate treatment course. This case highlights the importance of considering CNS involvement in WD when a patient with a previous history of classic WD presents with hypersomnolence, hydrocephalus, or other neurologic symptoms.

Codon usage studies and epitope-based peptide vaccine prediction against Tropheryma whipplei

Background

The Tropheryma whipplei causes acute gastroenteritis to neuronal damages in Homo sapiens. Genomics and codon adaptation studies would be helpful advancements of disease evolution prediction, prevention, and treatment of disease. The codon usage data and codon usage measurement tools were deployed to detect the rare, very rare codons, and also synonymous codons usage. The higher effective number of codon usage values indicates the low codon usage bias in T. whipplei and also in the 23S and 16S ribosomal RNA genes.

Results

In T. whipplei, it was found to hold low codon biasness in genomic sets. The synonymous codons possess the base content in 3rd position that was calculated as A3S% (24.47 and 22.88), C3S% (20.99 and 22.88), T3S% (21.47 and 19.53), and G3S% (33.08 and 34.71) for 23s and 16s rRNA, respectively.

Conclusion

Amino acids like valine, aspartate, leucine, and phenylalanine hold high codon usage frequency and also found to be present in epitopes KPSYLSALSAHLNDK and FKSFNYNVAIGVRQP that were screened from proteins excinuclease ABC subunit UvrC and 3-oxoacyl-ACP reductase FabG, respectively. This method opens novel ways to determine epitope-based peptide vaccines against different pathogenic organisms.

Challenging case of Whipple's disease: The contribution of radiology

Whipple's disease is a rare chronic infectious disease, caused by Tropheryma whipplei. The disease can be challenging to diagnose due to the variable clinical manifestations and the nonspecific laboratory and imaging findings. We report the case of a 75-year-old man, complaining of weight loss and arthralgias with an insidious onset. A thoracic, abdominal and pelvic CT was performed, demonstrating features suggestive of Whipple's disease. Although not specific, the imaging findings of fatty attenuation mesenteric and retroperitoneal enlarged lymph nodes are a common finding in Whipple's disease. Esophagogastroduodenoscopy with duodenal biopsy confirmed the diagnosis through PCR analysis.

Subcutaneous Nodules Caused by Tropheryma whipplei Infection

To help clarify the clinical manifestations, diagnosis, and treatment for Whipple disease, we report a case of a man in China infected with Tropheryma whipplei. The patient had multiple subcutaneous nodules as the only manifestation, which was not consistent with the typical symptoms of T. whipplei infection.

Tropheryma whipplei Detection by Nanopore Sequencing in Patients With Interstitial Lung Disease

Tropheryma whipplei is a bacterium associated with Whipple's disease, which commonly manifests as weight loss, arthralgia, and diarrhea. The most frequently involved organs comprise the heart and eyes, in addition to the central nervous system. Few studies have explored the relationship between T. whipplei and pneumonia. Herein, we report three patients with interstitial lung disease (ILD) of unknown cause, whose bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) were evaluated via Nanopore sequencing. In our in-house BALF Nanopore platform, human DNA was removed with saponin, to improve the reads ratio of microorganisms/host. T. whipplei was the sole or most abundant pathogen in all the patients, comprising 1,385, 826, and 285 reads. The positive result was confirmed via quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with two pairs of primers (cycle threshold value: 33.26/36.29; 31.68/32.01; 28.82/28.80) and Sanger sequencing. To our knowledge, this is the first report of T. whipplei detection using Nanopore-based sequencing. The turnaround time was approximately 6-8 h in clinical laboratories, including less than 1 h for analysis. In conclusion, the results of this study confirm that Nanopore sequencing can rapidly detect rare pathogens, to improve clinical diagnosis. In addition, diagnosis of Whipple's disease should be combined other laboratory findings, such as periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) staining, and considered a possibility in middle-aged men presenting with ILD and a clinical history of unexplained arthralgia and/or fever.

Clinical Manifestations and Diagnosis of Axial Spondyloarthritis

BACKGROUND

Axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) is a chronic, rheumatic disease characterized by inflammation of the sacroiliac joint, spine, and entheses. Axial spondyloarthritis affects up to 1.4% of adults in the United States and is associated with decreased quality of life, increased mortality, and substantial health care-related costs, imposing a high burden on patients, their caregivers, and society.

SUMMARY OF WORK

Diagnosing axSpA can be difficult. In this review, we seek to help rheumatologists in recognizing and diagnosing axSpA.

MAJOR CONCLUSIONS

A discussion of challenges associated with diagnosis is presented, including use and interpretation of imaging, reasons for diagnostic delays, differences in disease presentation by sex, and differential diagnoses of axSpA.

FUTURE RESEARCH DIRECTIONS

The early diagnosis of axSpA and advances in available therapeutic options have improved patient care and disease management, but delays in diagnosis and treatment remain common. Additional research and education are critical for recognizing diverse axSpA presentations and optimizing management early in the course of disease.

Tropheryma whipplei intestinal colonization in immunocompromised children in Iran: a preliminary study

Aim & method: Tropheryma whipplei causes Whipple's disease. Children are reservoirs of this bacterium. The aim of this study was to investigate the presence of T. whipplei in children with immunodeficiency in central Iran from July 2018 to February 2019. Stool samples were tested by SYBR Green and Taq-Man real-time PCR assays. For confirmation, the isolated DNA was sequenced. Results: One hundred and thirty children were enrolled. Acute lymphocytic leukemia was the most reported immunodeficient disease (77%), followed by non-Hodgkin lymphoma and retinoblastoma. Thirteen (10%) children had T. whipplei DNA in the stool; 11.4% of the children under 5 years old were positive. Conclusion: This is the first study showing the circulation of T. whipplei in Iran.

Could CT abdomen and PET/CT be helpful in early diagnosis of Whipple's disease? A case report

Whipple’s disease is a rare disease, which can be fatal if not treated. It is often diagnosed at a late stage because of the varied disease presentation and its rare incidence. Classic Whipple’s disease presents with arthralgia, abdominal pain, diarrhea and weight loss. CT abdomen may show mesenteric lymphadenopathy with hypodense centers. These CT findings along with clinical presentation should prompt early diagnosis of Whipple’s disease. We present a case of classic Whipple’s disease with interesting CT abdomen and PET scan findings.

Phenotypic diversity of Tropheryma whipplei clinical isolates

Tropheryma whipplei is a bacterial pathogen responsible for a wide range of infections in humans, covering asymptomatic carriage, acute infections, chronic isolated infections and classic Whipple's disease. Although the bacterium is commonly found in the environment, it very rarely causes disease. Genetic comparison of clinical isolates has revealed that main variations were found in region encoding T. whipplei surface glycoproteins called WiSP. However, no association has been made between the genetic diversity and the clinical manifestations of the infection. In this study we evaluated the phenotypic diversity of 26 clinical isolates from different origins and taken from patient with different infection outcomes. MRC5 and macrophages cells were infected, and bacterial uptake, survival and the pro-and anti-inflammatory potential of the different clinical isolates was assessed. No significant difference of phagocytosis was found between the different isolates; however, we found that bacterial replication was increased for bacteria expressing high molecular weight WiSP. In addition, we found that the expression of the genes coding for IL-1β and TGF-β was significantly higher when MRC5 cells were stimulated with isolates from chronic infections compared to isolates from localized infections while no significant differences were observed in macrophages. Overall, our study revealed that, as previously observed at the genetic level, phenotypic diversity of T. whipplei isolates is associated with the expression of different WiSP, which may result in subtle differences in host responses. Other host factors or genetic predisposition may explain the range of clinical manifestations of T. whipplei infections.

Pulmonary parenchymal involvement caused by Tropheryma whipplei

We report a 26-year-old man with left chest pain for 4 days. His chest CT showed a cavity in the left upper lung. Tuberculosis was suspected first, but metagenomics next generation sequencing (mNGS) in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid only detected Tropheryma whipplei. Tropheryma whipplei is the pathogen of Whipple’s disease. The most frequently involved organs are the eyes, heart, and central nervous system. Pulmonary parenchymal involvement is rare. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of pulmonary cavity caused by Tropheryma whipplei. Nineteen cases of pulmonary parenchymal involvement were found by literature search. The most common respiratory symptom was cough, followed by dyspnea/breathlessness and chest pain. The most common finding in chest imaging was pulmonary nodules, followed by interstitial changes and patchy infiltration. Our case and literature review highlighted that Tropheryma whipplei infection should be considered in the differential diagnosis of pulmonary cavity, pulmonary nodules, interstitial changes, and patchy infiltration. mNGS is helpful to improve diagnosis rate.

Rheumatological features of Whipple disease

Whipple disease (WD) is a rare infectious systemic disease. Rheumatologists are at the frontline of WD diagnosis due to the early rheumatological manifestations. An early diagnosis is crucial, as usual anti-rheumatic drugs, especially TNF inhibitors, may worsen the disease course. We conducted a retrospective multicentre national study from January 2010 to April 2020 to better characterize the rheumatological features of WD. Classic WD (CWD) was defined by positive periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) staining of a small-bowel biopsy sample, and non-CWD (NCWD) was defined by negative PAS staining of a small-bowel biopsy sample but at least one positive Tropheryma whipplei (TW) polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for a digestive or extradigestive specimen. Sixty-eight patients were enrolled, including 11 CWD patients. Twenty patients (30%) received TNF inhibitors during the WD course, with inefficacy or symptom worsening. More digestive symptoms and systemic biological features were observed in CWD patients than in NCWD patients, but both patient groups had similar outcomes, especially concerning the response to antibiotics and relapse rate. Stool and saliva TW PCR sensitivity were both 100% for CWD and 75% for NCWD and 89% and 60% for small-bowel biopsy sample PCR, respectively. WD encountered in rheumatology units has many presentations, which might result from different pathophysiologies that are dependent on host immunity. Given the heterogeneous presentations and the presence of chronic carriage, multiple TW PCR tests on samples from specific rheumatological sites when possible should be performed, but samples from nonspecific digestive and extradigestive sites also have great value.

Whipple's disease: the great masquerader-a high level of suspicion is the key to diagnosis

BACKGROUND

Whipple's disease is a chronic infectious disease that primarily affects the small intestine, but several organs can simultaneously be involved. The disease is caused by a gram-positive bacterium called Tropheryma whipplei. The disease is difficult to suspect because it is rare with unspecific and long-term symptoms; it can be lethal if not properly treated.

CASE PRESENTATION

We here present three patients who presented with a plethora of symptoms, mainly long-standing seronegative arthritis and gastrointestinal symptoms in the form of diarrhea with blood, weight loss, fever, and lymphadenopathy. They were after extensive investigations diagnosed with Whipple's disease, in two of them as long as 8 years after the first occurrence of joint manifestations. The diagnosis was made by PCR targeting the T. whipplei 16S rRNA gene from small bowel specimen in all three patients, and, besides from histopathologic findings from the duodenum and distal ileum in one and mesenteric lymph nodes in another patient.

CONCLUSIONS

This report aims to raise awareness of a very rare disease that presents with a combination of symptoms mimicking other and significantly more common diseases.

Whipple's disease: a fatal mimic

Whipple’s Disease, a rare diagnosis caused by the slow-growing bacterium Tropheryma whipplei, most often presents with the classically described signs of malabsorption due to gastrointestinal colonization. However, it can also have signs and symptoms that clinically overlap with rheumatic diseases, potentially resulting in misdiagnosis. Furthermore, treatment with modern potent biologic immunosuppressive agents and classic disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) can lead to serious exacerbation of undiagnosed infections. We present the case of a middle-aged woman with long term complaints of arthalgias, who was diagnosed with seronegative rheumatoid arthritis and subsequently treated for almost 7 years with such immunosuppressive therapies. The patient’s disease course included chronic diarrhea that abruptly intensified and culminated in fatal hypovolemic shock/sepsis. A diagnosis of WD was made by autopsy examination, wherein several organ systems were found to be heavily involved by Tropheryma whipplei organisms, and their identification was confirmed with histochemical and molecular evaluation. Notably, most bacterial organisms were located deeply in the submucosa/muscularis of affected organs, a practical reminder to practicing pathologists that challenges the classic histopathologic description of Whipple disease as an infiltration of predominantly lamina propria, and the potential for sampling bias in typically superficial endoscopic biopsies during routine procedures.

[A 3-week history of intestinal symptoms in a 67-year-old male patient with chronic arthralgia]

Whipple disease is an infection caused by the bacterium Tropheryma whipplei. Due to its unspecific clinical symptoms, it is difficult to diagnose and often remains undetected for a long time. The case of a patient who presented with acute intestinal symptoms to the authors' department is reported. The diagnosis of classic Whipple disease was established. The symptoms subsided under antibiotic therapy. Complications in the form of immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome (IRIS) occurred, requiring immunosuppressive treatment.

Recent Clinical and Preclinical Studies of Hydroxychloroquine on RNA Viruses and Chronic Diseases: A Systematic Review

The rapid spread of the new Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) has actually become the newest challenge for the healthcare system since, to date, there is not an effective treatment. Among all drugs tested, Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) has attracted significant attention. This systematic review aims to analyze preclinical and clinical studies on HCQ potential use in viral infection and chronic diseases. A systematic search of Scopus and PubMed databases was performed to identify clinical and preclinical studies on this argument; 2463 papers were identified and 133 studies were included. Regarding HCQ activity against COVID-19, it was noticed that despite the first data were promising, the latest outcomes highlighted the ineffectiveness of HCQ in the treatment of viral infection. Several trials have seen that HCQ administration did not improve severe illness and did not prevent the infection outbreak after virus exposure. By contrast, HCQ arises as a first-line treatment in managing autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus erythematosus, and Sjögren syndrome. It also improves glucose and lipid homeostasis and reveals significant antibacterial activity.

Whipple disease: a 15-year retrospective study on 36 patients with positive polymerase chain reaction for Tropheryma whipplei

Our institution has performed microbiological diagnosis of Tropheryma whipplei since 2001, initially with a PCR targeting 16S rRNA before the development of a quantitative PCR in 2012. Here we report the clinical characteristics of a cohort of patients suffering from Whipple disease (WD) and evaluate the impact of these molecular techniques. Patients with a positive PCR for T. whipplei between 2001 and 2016 were retrospectively collected from microbiological databases. Two infectious diseases specialists reviewed their medical records and classified them as definite WD, probable WD or carriage of T. whipplei without disease. A total of 1153 samples were tested for T. whipplei; 76 samples taken from 36 patients were positive. Fifteen were considered as presenting a definite WD, seven as a probable WD and 14 as carriers. Median age was 56.4 years (extremes, 6.6-76.1). Median time from symptoms to diagnosis was 3 years (2.5 months to 13.3 years). About 60% were immunosuppressed. The most frequent clinical presentations were joint pain (16/22), weight loss (15/22) and/or digestive tract disorder (15/22); 41% had neurological manifestations, 32% pulmonary involvement and 32% lymphadenopathies. Bacterial load in faeces or saliva were 88 425 copies/mL (IQR 6175-292 725) in definite and probable WD and 311 copies/mL (IQR 253-2090) in carriers, respectively. We observed a 90% PPV above 32 200 copies/mL in faeces. WD is a chronic multisystemic disease with frequent pulmonary involvement. Underlying immunodeficiency is commonly observed leading to more complex clinical presentation. Positive T. whipplei PCR in both stool and saliva has a high positive predictive value. Moreover, patients with WD present higher bacterial load in faeces with a threshold of >32 200 copies/mL predicting ongoing infection.