Zaaijer H L, Savelkoul P H, Vandenbroucke-Grauls C M
Academisch Ziekenhuis Vrije Universiteit, afd. Medische Microbiologie en Infectiepreventie, Amsterdam.
Ned Tijdschr Geneeskd. 1999 Feb 20;143(8):388-92.
Whipple's disease is characterized by malabsorption, weight loss, diarrhoea and abdominal pain, often preceded by a long period of migrating arthralgias. Instead of the intestine the heart, brain, eyes, lungs or blood vessels may be affected. Whipple's disease is caused by Tropheryma whippelii, a bacillus found inside phagocytes. A specific defect in the immune system of the host appears to play a part. The diagnosis is based on microscopic examination of periodic-acid-Schiff(PAS)-stained slides and on polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis of affected tissue. Recently a method for culturing T. whippelii was described. Prolonged treatment with cotrimoxazole, preceded or not by two weeks of penicillin and streptomycin, often cures the disease, but relapses do occur.
惠普尔病的特征为吸收不良、体重减轻、腹泻和腹痛，通常之前会有一段长时间的游走性关节痛。受影响的部位可能不是肠道，而是心脏、大脑、眼睛、肺或血管。惠普尔病由噬酸细胞内发现的一种杆菌——惠普尔嗜组织菌引起。宿主免疫系统的特定缺陷似乎起到了一定作用。诊断基于对过碘酸希夫（PAS）染色玻片的显微镜检查以及对受影响组织的聚合酶链反应（PCR）分析。最近描述了一种培养惠普尔嗜组织菌的方法。在使用复方新诺明进行长期治疗之前，无论是否先使用两周的青霉素和链霉素，通常都能治愈该病，但确实会出现复发。
