Whipple's disease. Report of a case with clinical immunological studies.

A case of Whipple's disease is described in which humoral and cellular immunity were tested. Histologic ultrastructural and immunocytochemical study were performed, before, during and after treatment. Cutaneous anergy was the main immunological dysfunction observed. During active Whipple's disease the patient had consistently negative skin tests for all antigens tested. This abnormality of delayed hypersensitivity regressed during treatment together with clinical remission of the disease. These findings are considered as secondary to Whipple's disease.