B Naegeli1, F Bannwart, O Bertel. 1. Cardiac Unit, Department of Internal Medicine, Stadtspital Triemli, Zurich, Switzerland.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Cardiac involvement in Whipple's disease is not an uncommon phenomenon in autopsies, but its clinical occurrence is often overshadowed by gastrointestinal symptoms. We report a very atypical manifestation of this disorder. SUMMARY OF REPORT: An extraordinary presentation of an extremely long-lasting, culture-negative endocarditis caused by Tropheryma whippelii is described, the clinical consequence of which has become apparent in recurrent strokes. CONCLUSIONS: Cardiac involvement of Whipple's disease should always be considered in culture and serologically negative endocarditis. The polymerase chain reaction technique may be a useful tool to confirm a presumed diagnosis of T whippelii endocarditis and consequently to apply an effective treatment regimen.
BACKGROUND: Cardiac involvement in Whipple's disease is not an uncommon phenomenon in autopsies, but its clinical occurrence is often overshadowed by gastrointestinal symptoms. We report a very atypical manifestation of this disorder. SUMMARY OF REPORT: An extraordinary presentation of an extremely long-lasting, culture-negative endocarditis caused by Tropheryma whippelii is described, the clinical consequence of which has become apparent in recurrent strokes. CONCLUSIONS: Cardiac involvement of Whipple's disease should always be considered in culture and serologically negative endocarditis. The polymerase chain reaction technique may be a useful tool to confirm a presumed diagnosis of T whippelii endocarditis and consequently to apply an effective treatment regimen.
Authors: Christina S Thornton; Yinong Wang; Martin Köebel; Kathryn Bernard; Tamara Burdz; Andrew Maitland; Jose G Ferraz; Paul L Beck; Andre Ferland Journal: BMC Cardiovasc Disord Date: 2019-12-23 Impact factor: 2.298