Chronic Infection With Tropheryma Whipplei: Risk Factors Related to the Host

Since the first isolation of a strain of Tropheryma whipplei (T. whipplei) and the development of molecular tools, the natural history of this bacterium continued to clarify. The currently proposed scheme is as follows: after contamination human oral-oral or fecal, patients will develop acute infections such as bacteremia, gastroenteritis and pneumonia. They can then produce specific antibodies. Likely depending on the host-related factors, three types of evolution appear to be possible: (i) some patients eliminate the bacteria and develop specific antibodies. (ii) some patients are chronic carriers of the bacterium with a strong immune response. (iii) Finally, patients develop subacute or chronic infections, with an insufficient immune response or non-existent answer to T. whipplei.

Subacute or chronic infections include Whipple's disease characterized by histological involvement of the small intestine, as well as localized without digestive impairment, such as endocarditis or encephalitis. Despite appropriate antibiotic therapy, patients with Whipple's disease will present relapse (30-40% of patients), but also of re-infection with different genotypes of T. whipplei.

Here the hypothesis is that HLA-DRB 13 and/or HLA-DQB1 06 alleles are associated with the presence of chronic infections with T. whipplei (defined by classic Whipple disease and / or endocarditis and/or encephalitis)

Inclusion criteria

• Patient with a positive PCR to T. Whipplei diagnostics.
• Patient aged > or = 18 years old.
• Patient who does not declined to have his medical records reviewed for research.
• Patient with health insurance.

Exclusion criteria

• Patient minors (age <18 years)
• Pregnant woman, parturient or breastfeeding
• Adult Patient under guardianship .
• Patient deprived of liberty under court order
• Patient refusing to sign the informed consent form.