Renal transplantation in AA amyloidosis associated with Whipple's disease

Infections and AA amyloidosis: An overview

BACKGROUND

Amyloidoses are a heterogeneous group of systemic diseases characterised by extracellular accumulation of insoluble amyloid fibrils derived from unfolded proteins. Inflammatory (AA) amyloidosis can complicate various inflammatory disorders that are associated with a sustained acute phase response and serum amyloid A (SAA) protein overproduction. Chronic infections were the first recognised cause of amyloidoses. However, with the better management of underlying diseases, the frequency of AA amyloidosis is decreasing.

PURPOSE

The aim of this overview was to discuss the several infections associated with AA amyloidosis and the relative frequency of infections as aetiological factors.

METHODS

A search of the literature was performed using the PubMed database using the MeSH terms "Amyloidosis" and "Infections," from inception to December 31st, 2019. Articles written in other languages than English or French were excluded.

RESULTS

The frequency of AA amyloidosis secondary to infections decreased from more than 50% to less than 20% after the 2000s, with a parallel increase in the frequency of AA amyloidosis secondary to inflammatory diseases and to an unknown cause.

CONCLUSION

Whereas new antibiotics have been developed and sanitary conditions are better, infections still represent 5%-30% of the causes of AA amyloidosis, including in developed countries. These data argue for better screening of chronic infections to prevent AA amyloidosis and the development of new strategies to manage recurrent infections.

Tropheryma whipplei infection and Whipple's disease

Recent advances in medical microbiology, epidemiology, cellular biology, and the availability of an expanded set of diagnostic methods such as histopathology, immunohistochemistry, PCR, and bacterial culture have improved our understanding of the clinical range and natural course of Tropheryma whipplei infection and Whipple's disease. Interdisciplinary and transnational research activities have contributed to the clarification of the pathogenesis of the disorder and have enabled controlled trials of different treatment strategies. We summarise the current knowledge and new findings relating to T whipplei infection and Whipple's disease.