[Tropheryma whippelii, an emerging intracellular pathogen causing Whipple disease].

Whipple's disease is a diffuse disease with a wide variety of clinical manifestations. Differential diagnoses include chronic enteritis, chronic joint disease, chronic meningoencephalitis and prolonged fever with weight loss, chronic uveitis and endocarditis with negative blood culture. MOLECULAR DIAGNOSIS: Histologically the characteristic lesions contain PAS-positive inclusions. PCR of RNAr gene 16S in fresh tissue identifies Tropheryma whippelii and confirms bacteriological diagnosis. AN EMERGING PATHOGEN: Tropheryma whippelii is a recently identified pathogen highly difficult to culture. Since its discovery, it has been a model of emerging pathogens. Clinical observation, microscope studies, molecular and cellular biology, and bacteriology have all contributed to its recent isolation which should lead to the development of indirect diagnostic techniques [abstract corrected]