Whipple's disease: a case with circulating immune complexes.

A O Kwitko; D J Shearman; P E McKenzie; J T La Brooy; R Rowland; A J Woodroffe

Home/Archive/PubMed

PubMed · 6160077

Whipple's disease: a case with circulating immune complexes.

A O Kwitko·D J Shearman·P E McKenzie·J T La Brooy·R Rowland·A J Woodroffe

View original source ↗Export metadata ↓

Abstract

A patient with Whipple's disease was studied for 56 wk from diagnosis, during which time he received continuous antibiotic therapy. Intramucosal bacillary bodies detected by electron microscopy disappeared within 12 wk and a threefold fall in antibody titer to Hemophilus influenza type B bacillus occurred during this period. Circulating immune complexes of IgG class were consistently detected during the first 28 wk of treatment but not subsequently. IgM class immune complexes were detected at a time when mucosal recovery had occurred and when IgG complexes were no longer detectable. A further rise of IgM immune complexes could be induced by enteric challenge with bovine serum albumin in our patient but not in control subjects. The detection of serum immune complexes in Whipple's disease may reflect the entry of foreign antigen through intestinal mucosa. These observations also support the possibility of an underlying defect of antigen exclusion in this disorder, which persists despite apparent mucosal recovery.

Explore related subjects

Antibodies, Bacterial Antigen-Antibody Complex Haemophilus Infections Haemophilus influenzae Humans Ileal Diseases Immunoglobulin G Immunoglobulin M Jejunal Diseases Jejunum Male Microscopy, Electron Middle Aged Whipple Disease Case Reports Journal Article Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Keep this discovery

Explore connections, maps & timelines

BibTeX RIS

A O Kwitko, D J Shearman, P E McKenzie, J T La Brooy, R Rowland, A J Woodroffe. 1980. Whipple's disease: a case with circulating immune complexes.. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/6160077/

Cite the original work for its findings. Save a collection to share your selection of sources.

KEEP EXPLORING

Related citations

PubMed2007

Rheumatoid arthritis is linked to Proteus--the evidence.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory arthritic and potentially disabling condition, mainly affecting women of middle age and having characteristic clinical features. Various microbial agents were implicated in the causation of RA. Extensive literature based on the results of various genetic, microbiological, molecular, and immunological studies carried out by independent research groups supports the role of Proteus mirabilis bacteria in the etiopathogenesis of RA. New diagnostic markers and criteria and the use of a novel therapeutic protocol in the form of antibiotic and dietary measures are suggested to be used together with current treatments in the management of RA. Prospective longitudinal studies with the use of antimicrobial measures in patients with RA are required to establish the therapeutic benefit of this microbe-disease association.

Antibodies, Bacterial↗

PubMed2007

Isolation of Lawsonia intracellularis specific single-chain Fv antibody fragments from phage display library.

Single-chain antibodies (scFv) exhibiting specific binding to Lawsonia intracellularis were isolated from a phagemid library expressing scFvs molecules on the surface of filamentous bacteriophages. For scFv selection whole bacterial cells were used and individual clones were tested in ELISA test. The total of seven unique clones with different fingerprint profiles was isolated. All clones were able to bind specifically in immunofluorescence assay. This is the first report of species specific recombinant antibodies against L. intracellularis.

Antibodies, Bacterial↗

PubMed2007

The use of local isolates in Western blots improves serological diagnosis of Lyme disease in Scotland.

Nine Scottish Borrelia burgdorferi isolates were investigated in IgG Western blot tests. Sera previously found to be positive and negative when tested by routine Western blots prepared from reference strain B. burgdorferi sensu stricto antigen had different outcomes with these isolates. Two isolates, E5 (Borrelia afzelii) and G4 (B. burgdorferi sensu stricto) performed well, reproducing Western blot-positive results in 90 and 95% of tests, respectively. When antigens from both isolates were incorporated into a single IgG Western blot, the results of a panel of sera were improved when compared to the routine reference strain IgG Western blot. All of the sera positive by the routine Western blot remained positive using the Scottish isolate antigen mix. Twenty-three of the 25 negative sera remained negative and two produced an equivocal result. Of the 15 samples that tested IgG Western blot equivocal with the B. burgdorferi sensu stricto reference strain, 11 (73%) became weak or strong positive when tested with the B. afzelii/B. burgdorferi sensu stricto antigen mix (chi(2)=14.35, Yates' correction, P<0.001). In seven of these, a clinical picture of Lyme disease was consistent with the new results. The use of Scottish strains of B. afzelii and B. burgdorferi sensu stricto to provide antigen for the IgG Western blot improves the diagnosis of Lyme disease for patients in Scotland.

Antibodies, Bacterial↗