Skip to main content
NCBI home page
Postgraduate Medical Journal logoLink to Postgraduate Medical Journal
. 1978 Jan;54(627):45–50. doi: 10.1136/pgmj.54.627.45

Whipple's disease in a female with impaired cell-mediated immunity unresponsive to co-trimoxazole and levamisole therapy.

M R Haeney, I N Ross
PMCID: PMC2425041  PMID: 75542

Abstract

A case of Whipple's disease in a female is described. Malabsorption of iron, vitamin B12, folic acid and fat was present. These abnormalities reverted to normal after introduction of co-trimoxazole therapy. The patient's humoral immune system was normal, in contrast to impairment of cell-mediated immunity, which has not improved in spite of co-trimoxazole treatment for 2 years, and a therapeutic trial of levamisole. These findings are further evidence that there may be a primary immune deficiency in patients with Whipple's disease.

Full text

PDF
45

Images in this article

47Fig. 1
on p.47

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. ANTON A. T. Agammaglobulinemia complicating Whipple's disease. Case report. Ohio State Med J. 1961 Jun;57:650–652. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Berens S. C., Cohen R. A., Schwabe A. D. Diagnostic problems of partially treated Whipple's disease. Report of a case with isolated deficiency of immunoglobulin M. Calif Med. 1969 Jun;110(6):477–481. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Biniaminov M., Ramot B. Letter: In-vitro resotration by levamisole of thymus-derived lymphocyte function in Hodgkin's disease. Lancet. 1975 Feb 22;1(7904):464–464. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(75)91543-3. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Clancy R. L., Tomkins W. A., Muckle T. J., Richardson H., Rawls W. E. Isolation and characterization of an aetiological agent in Whipple's disease. Br Med J. 1975 Sep 6;3(5983):568–570. doi: 10.1136/bmj.3.5983.568. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Cochran M., Cook M. G., Gallagher J. C., Peacock M. Hypogammaglobulinaemia with Whipple's disease. Postgrad Med J. 1973 May;49(571):355–358. doi: 10.1136/pgmj.49.571.355. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Elsborg L., Gravgaard E., Jacobsen N. O. Treatment of Whipple's disease with sulphamethoxazole-trimethoprim. Acta Med Scand. 1975 Jul-Aug;198(1-2):141–143. doi: 10.1111/j.0954-6820.1975.tb19519.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. GROSS J. B., WOLLAEGER E. E., SAUER W. G., HUIZENGA K. A., DAHLIN D. C., POWER M. H. Whipple's disease; report of four cases, including two in brothers, with observations on pathologic physiology, diagnosis, and treatment. Gastroenterology. 1959 Jan;36(1):65–93. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Groll A., Valberg L. S., Simon J. B., Eidinger D., Wilson B., Forsdyke D. R. Immunological defect in Whipple's disease. Gastroenterology. 1972 Dec;63(6):943–950. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Jondal M., Holm G., Wigzell H. Surface markers on human T and B lymphocytes. I. A large population of lymphocytes forming nonimmune rosettes with sheep red blood cells. J Exp Med. 1972 Aug 1;136(2):207–215. doi: 10.1084/jem.136.2.207. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. MARTEL W., HODGES F. J. The small intestine in Whipple's disease. Am J Roentgenol Radium Ther Nucl Med. 1959 Apr;81(4):623–636. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Maizel H., Ruffin J. M., Dobbins W. O., 3rd Whipple's disease: a review of 19 patients from one hospital and a review of the literature since 1950. Medicine (Baltimore) 1970 May;49(3):175–205. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Maxwell J. D., Ferguson A., McKay A. M., Imrie R. C., Watson W. C. Lymphocytes in Whipple's disease. Lancet. 1968 Apr 27;1(7548):887–889. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(68)90239-0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Miksche L. W., Blümcke S., Fritsche D., Küchemann K., Schüler H. W., Grözinger K. H. Whipple's disease: etiopathogenesis, treatment, diagnosis, and clinical course. Case report and review of the world literature. Acta Hepatogastroenterol (Stuttg) 1974 Aug;21(4):307–326. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. PAULLEY J. W. A case of Whipple's disease (intestinal lipodystrophy). Gastroenterology. 1952 Sep;22(1):128–133. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Papamichail M., Brown J. C., Holborow E. J. Immunoglobulins on the surface of human lymphocytes. Lancet. 1971 Oct 16;2(7729):850–852. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(71)90224-8. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Pastor B. M., Geerken R. G. Whipple's disease presenting as pleuropericarditis. Am J Med. 1973 Dec;55(6):827–831. doi: 10.1016/0002-9343(73)90264-7. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Paty D. W., Hughes D. Lymphocyte transformation using whole blood cultures: an analysis of responses. J Immunol Methods. 1972 Nov;2(1):99–114. doi: 10.1016/0022-1759(72)90022-1. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Paul F. A. Whipple's disease: review of literature and case report. W V Med J. 1967 Nov;63(11):404–409. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Tripodi D., Parks L. C., Brugmans J. Drug-induced restoration of cutaneous delayed hypersensitivity in anergic patients with cancer. N Engl J Med. 1973 Aug 16;289(7):354–357. doi: 10.1056/NEJM197308162890707. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Verhaegen H., De Cock W., De Cree J., Verbruggen F., Verhaegen-Declercq M., Brugmans J. Letter: In-vitro restoration by levamisole of thymus-derived lymphocyte functions in Hodgkin's disease. Lancet. 1975 Apr 26;1(7913):978–978. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(75)92040-1. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. Watson W. C., Maxwell J. D., Ferguson A. Lymphocytes in Whipple's disease. Proc R Soc Med. 1969 Oct;62(10):986–987. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. YARDLEY J. H., HENDRIX T. R. Combined electron and light microscopy in Whipple's disease. Demonstration of "bacillary bodies" in the intestine. Bull Johns Hopkins Hosp. 1961 Aug;109:80–98. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Postgraduate Medical Journal are provided here courtesy of BMJ Publishing Group

RESOURCES