What is Whipple disease?
Whipple disease is a very rare infectious disease that affects many organ systems of the body. Less than a thousand cases have been reported worldwide and it has an annual incidence of less than one in a million. The disease is named after George Hoyt Whipple who described the first case in 1907.1 The cause of Whipple disease is the bacterium Trophyrema whipplei (T. whipplei). T. whipplei is widespread; it has been detected in soil, sewage water and faecal material. It is not known what source or role this bacteria plays in the environment. In some studies, up to 35% of unaffected healthy individuals carry T. whipplei in their intestines. Individuals who are at higher risk of harbouring T. whipplei are sewage plant workers, farmers and agricultural workers. Not all infected individuals have symptoms. The symptoms of Whipple disease are related to the immune system and its interaction with the bacterium. Many studies have shown that these individuals have defects in their immune system
