title: Tropheryma whipplei Endocarditis: A Two-patient Case Series.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Whipple endocarditis is caused by Tropheryma whipplei and is a well-described complication of Whipple's disease. Limited and small case series have been published regarding the presentation, diagnosis, and clinical course of this disease.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We describe 2 cases of patients with T. whipplei endocarditis, one of which underwent a successful heart transplant.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In both cases of Whipple's endocarditis, there was a subacute prodromal phase followed by an acute rapid decompensation with severe destruction of the aortic valve, heart failure, and embolism. Because the diagnosis of T. whipplei endocarditis is typically not made until pathological examination of tissue, clinicians must have a high suspicion for it in the absence of other offending organisms, especially among middle-aged white males with sub-acute symptoms and embolic complications.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora.
authors.forename: Ryan T
authors.initials: RT
authors.lastname: Borne
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora.
authors.forename: Ashok
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Babu
authors.affiliation: Division of Infectious Disease, Department of Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora.
authors.forename: Marilyn
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Levi
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora.
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Brieke
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora. Electronic address: Robert.quaife@ucdenver.edu.
authors.forename: Robert A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Quaife
mesh_terms: D004452:Echocardiography; D004697:Endocarditis, Bacterial / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D016027:Heart Transplantation; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D054851:Tropheryma; D008061:Whipple Disease / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology
keywords: Case series; Heart transplantation; Whipple's endocarditis