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An uncommon cause of recurrent strokes: Tropheryma whippelii endocarditis
B Naegeli1, F Bannwart, O Bertel
1Cardiac Unit, Department of Internal Medicine, Stadtspital Triemli, Zurich, Switzerland.
Background:
Cardiac involvement in Whipple's disease is not an uncommon phenomenon in autopsies, but its clinical occurrence is often overshadowed by gastrointestinal symptoms. We report a very atypical manifestation of this disorder.
Summary Of Report:
An extraordinary presentation of an extremely long-lasting, culture-negative endocarditis caused by Tropheryma whippelii is described, the clinical consequence of which has become apparent in recurrent strokes.
Conclusions:
Cardiac involvement of Whipple's disease should always be considered in culture and serologically negative endocarditis. The polymerase chain reaction technique may be a useful tool to confirm a presumed diagnosis of T whippelii endocarditis and consequently to apply an effective treatment regimen.