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Whipple's disease
Medical condition / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Whipple's disease is a rare systemic infectious disease caused by the bacterium Tropheryma whipplei. First described by George Hoyt Whipple in 1907 and commonly considered as a gastrointestinal disorder, Whipple's disease primarily causes malabsorption, but may affect any part of the human body, including the heart, brain, joints, skin, lungs and the eyes.[1] Weight loss, diarrhea, joint pain, and arthritis are common presenting symptoms, but the presentation can be highly variable in certain individuals, and about 15% of patients do not have the standard signs and symptoms.[2]
Whipple's disease | |
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Low magnification micrograph of Whipple's disease showing the characteristic foamy appearing infiltrate of the lamina propria. Duodenal biopsy. H&E stain. | |
Specialty | Gastroenterology ![]() |
Whipple's disease is significantly more common in men, with 87% of patients diagnosed being male.[3] When recognized and treated, Whipple's disease can usually be cured with long-term antibiotic therapy, but if the disease is left undiagnosed or untreated, it can ultimately be fatal.[3][4]