Repeated light- and electron microscopic studies of the small-bowel mucosa in Whipple's disease.
The small-bowel mucosa of a patient with Whipple's disease in the florid state and one year after starting antibiotic treatment, in complete clinical remission was examined by the author. As a result of treatment, light-microscopic changes led to total regression. Electronmicroscopically, in the florid state, destruction of small-bowel epithelial cells was observed, mostly in the Lieberkühn's crypts. The changes of epithelial cells regressed after one year of treatment. In the lamina propria, a large amount of macrophages containing characteristic inclusions were found which persisted even after treatment. The composition of inclusions has, however, changed. The macrophages were cells poor in organelles and of a primitive differentiation. Presumably, this morphological picture is associated with the digestion incapability of cells and this may lead to the development of "acquired storage disease".
D004848:Epithelium / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D002479:Inclusion Bodies / Q000648:ultrastructure; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000473:pathology; D007421:Intestine, Small / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012075:Remission, Spontaneous; D013752:Tetracycline / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008061:Whipple Disease / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology*
D013752:Tetracycline