Whipple's disease and Tropheryma whipplei

Risk factors?
Certain studies underlined the possible existence of
specific factors to develop Whipple’s disease. Indeed, men of
50 years olds are the more frequently involved. The disease
seems also to be more frequent among farmers.
Different immunological abnormalities have been
reported during Whipple’s disease in treated patients but the
data have been contradictory.
Recently, a diminution of production of Interleukine-12
and IFN-γ by periphereal monocytes has been shown for
patients with Whipple’s disease in comparison to control people,
not only in acute phase but also in remission. It is necessary
now to confirm these data.
References :
-Defects of monocyte interleukin-12 production and humoral
immunity in Whipple’s disease. Gastroenterology 1997 : 113 :
442-448.
-Whipple’s disease. Marth T, and D Raoult. Lancet 2003: 18,
239-246.