DIAGNOSTIC UTILITY OF THE POLYMERASE-CHAIN-REACTION IN 2 CASES OF SUSPECTED WHIPPLE-DISEASE

We describe 2 patients with a diagnosis of Whipple disease in whom the usual antibiotic therapy failed. A polymerase chain reaction-based te st was used to identify the recently described Whipple bacillus, Troph eryma whippelii. In one case, the diagnosis was confirmed, whereas in the second case, which had been histologically diagnosed as Whipple di sease of the brain, the process was identified as a monocyte-derived h istiocytosis. In conclusion, Whipple disease can be distinguished from other diseases with similar histological features with the use of a p olymerase chain reaction-based test.