Prosthetic hip infection caused by Tropheryma whipplei

Area of Science:

• Infectious Diseases
• Microbiology
• Orthopedic Surgery

Background:

• Whipple's disease is a rare systemic bacterial infection typically affecting the small intestine.
• Prosthetic joint infections (PJIs) pose significant challenges in orthopedic surgery, often requiring complex management.
• Tropheryma whipplei, the causative agent of Whipple's disease, is an uncommon pathogen in prosthetic hip infections.

Observation:

• A 74-year-old male presented with a prosthetic hip infection.
• The patient had no prior diagnosis of Whipple's disease.
• Samples were collected during revision hip arthroplasty for diagnostic analysis.

Findings:

• 16S rRNA gene amplification and sequencing were employed for pathogen identification.
• Tropheryma whipplei was identified as the causative agent of the prosthetic hip infection.
• This case highlights an atypical presentation of Whipple's disease.

Implications:

• The findings underscore the importance of considering Tropheryma whipplei in the differential diagnosis of prosthetic hip infections, even in the absence of classic Whipple's disease symptoms.
• Advanced molecular diagnostic techniques, such as 16S rRNA gene sequencing, are crucial for identifying rare or atypical pathogens in orthopedic infections.
• This case contributes to the understanding of the diverse clinical manifestations and potential sites of infection for Tropheryma whipplei.