Phylogeny of the Whipple's-disease-associated bacterium

Lancet. 1991 Aug 24;338(8765):474-5. doi: 10.1016/0140-6736(91)90545-z.

Abstract

Efforts to culture and identify the intracellular bacteria associated with Whipple's disease have been unsuccessful. Nucleotide sequencing and amplification by the polymerase chain reaction was done on the bacterial 16 S ribosomal DNA present in a small-bowel biopsy specimen taken from a patient with Whipple's disease. A search by computer for similar rRNA sequences filed in databases showed the Whipple's-associated organism to be most similar to bacteria of the Rhodococcus, Streptomyces, and Arthrobacter genera, and more weakly related to mycobacteria. The biopsy specimen was estimated to contain around 10(7) cells of the organism. The probable aetiological agent for our patient's illness has not been identified previously in a patient with Whipple's disease.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Biopsy
  • DNA, Bacterial / analysis*
  • DNA, Ribosomal / analysis*
  • Eubacterium / genetics*
  • Female
  • Gram-Positive Bacteria / genetics*
  • Humans
  • Intestinal Mucosa / microbiology
  • Intestinal Mucosa / pathology
  • Intestine, Small / microbiology
  • Intestine, Small / pathology
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Phylogeny*
  • RNA, Bacterial / analysis*
  • RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / analysis*
  • Whipple Disease / microbiology*
  • Whipple Disease / pathology

Substances

  • DNA, Bacterial
  • DNA, Ribosomal
  • RNA, Bacterial
  • RNA, Ribosomal, 16S

Associated data

  • GENBANK/M64578
  • GENBANK/M64579
  • GENBANK/M64580
  • GENBANK/M64581
  • GENBANK/M64582
  • GENBANK/M64583
  • GENBANK/M74720
  • GENBANK/M77832
  • GENBANK/S59503
  • GENBANK/S72528