Tropheryma whipplei (PCR)

Biopsy, punctate, CSF

Tropheryma whipplei is a bacterium that causes a rare systemic infectious disease called Whipple's disease.
Symptoms of Whipple's disease can vary but commonly include weight loss, diarrhea, abdominal pain, joint pain, fatigue, fever, swollen lymph nodes, anemia, and neurological problems. In its more advanced form, malabsorption (insufficient absorption of nutrients from the diet) leads to wasting and the enlargement of lymph nodes in the abdomen. When recognized and treated, Whipple's disease can usually be cured with long-term antibiotic therapy, but if the disease is left untreated, it can ultimately be fatal.

T. whipplei appears to be an environmental organism that is commonly present in the gastrointestinal tract, but remains asymptomatic. Several lines of evidence suggest that some defect—inherited or acquired—in immunity is required for it to become pathogenic.

Diagnosis of Whipple's disease involves a combination of clinical evaluation, imaging tests, and laboratory analysis of tissues or fluids.