title: Iron loading: a risk factor for Whipple's disease?
abstract: Because of impairment of microbial iron acquisition ability, some potential pathogens can cause disease only in iron loaded hosts. Tropheryma whippelii, the etiologic agent of Whipple's disease, is a possible example. Whipple's disease is non-contagious, occurs mainly in middle-aged white males, and displays many, but not all, of the complications of hereditary haemochromatosis. Tropheryma whippelii is a gastrointestinal commensal that causes disease in persons who have a Th1-Th2 imbalance. Host susceptibility may be exacerbated by iron loading. Consideration should be given to have patients evaluated for levels of interferon-gamma and interleukin-4 as well as for serum ferritin and transferrin iron saturation.
authors: Department of Biology and Program in Medical Sciences, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana 47405, USA. eweinber@indiana.edu
authors: E D
authors: ED
authors: Weinberg
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000502:physiology; D007501:Iron / Q000378:metabolism*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D008061:Whipple Disease / Q000209:etiology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology
chemical_list: D015847:Interleukin-4; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D007501:Iron