[Whipple's disease, an example of interactions between gastrointestinal flora and the macroorganism?]

Morbus Whipple is known as a systemic disease caused by bacteria and inducing the formation of mucopolysaccharides which is absorbed by macrophages. In a mucosal bioptate of a 60 years old patient suffering from this disease we could prove numerous rod-shaped bacteria (Propionibacterium) by electronmicroscopy. In the duodenal secretion aerobic and strictly anaerobic bacteria were to be found. Therapy with tetracycline was followed by a fast and distinct improvement of the clinical symptoms of the absorption disturbances but not so clear of the histological findings.