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Acute infections caused by Tropheryma whipplei

Jean-Christophe Lagier1, Florence Fenollar1, Didier Raoult1

  • 1Aix Marseille Université, URMITE, IHU Méditerranée-Infection, UM63, CNRS 7278, IRD 198, INSERM 1095, 27 Boulevard Jean Moulin, 13385 Marseille Cedex 5, France.

Future Microbiology
|March 7, 2017
PubMed

Insights

Tropheryma whipplei causes Whipple's disease and is increasingly linked to acute gastroenteritis, pneumonia, and fever in children. This review highlights its role in diverse infections beyond the classic Whipple's disease presentation.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Clinical Medicine

Background:

  • Tropheryma whipplei is the known cause of Whipple's disease.
  • Recent findings suggest T. whipplei is implicated in a broader range of acute infections.
  • Understanding these diverse roles is crucial for accurate diagnosis and treatment.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To comprehensively review the acute infections caused by Tropheryma whipplei.
  • To synthesize evidence linking T. whipplei to gastroenteritis, pneumonia, and febrile illnesses.
  • To establish T. whipplei as a significant etiological agent in various clinical settings.

Main Methods:

  • Review of existing literature and cohort studies.
  • Analysis of a cohort study of 4000 children examining T. whipplei prevalence in diarrhea.
  • Inclusion of case-controlled studies on pneumonia and detection in bronchoalveolar fluids.
  • Inclusion of a study on febrile patients with pulmonary symptoms in Senegal.

Main Results:

  • T. whipplei was significantly more common in children with diarrhea (4%) compared to controls (1.7%).
  • T. whipplei was detected in bronchoalveolar fluids of pneumonia patients.
  • T. whipplei was identified in the blood of febrile patients with pulmonary symptoms in Senegal.

Conclusions:

  • Tropheryma whipplei is a definitive agent of acute gastroenteritis.
  • T. whipplei is a cause of nonmalarial fever in Africa.
  • T. whipplei is a probable cause of pulmonary infections, expanding its clinical significance.
Keywords:
Tropheryma whippleigastroenteritispneumonia

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