[Whipple's disease].
BACKGROUND
Whipple's disease is a rare infectious disease. This review describes the clinical picture, diagnostic aspects and treatment options.


METHODS
Based on a clinical case, a literature study was performed by searching PubMed (unlimited) with the words "whipples disease" combined with " TROPHERYMA WHIPPELII: " (118 hits) and " TROPHERYMA WHIPPLEI:" (65 hits). Titles and abstracts were used to identify other relevant articles.


CONCLUSIONS
Whipple's disease may affect several organ systems and thus causes a wide range of symptoms. The most common ones are weight loss, abdominal pain, diarrhoea and arthralgia. The diagnosis is based on PAS-POSITIVE MATERIAL: in duodenal biopsies and identification of gene fragments from the bacterium TROPHERYMA WHIPPLEI:. Presence of the bacterium may be confirmed by sensitive polymerase chain reaction assays. Left without treatment the disease may be lethal. Proper antibiotic treatment is imperative to heal the disease.
Eriksen
Ragnar
R
Gastroenterologisk seksjon Medisinsk avdeling. ragnar.eriksen@helse-sunnmore.no
Westre
Bjørn
B
Bergh
Kåre
K
Qvigstad
Gunnar
G
D039903:Actinobacteria / Q000302:isolation & purification; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007421:Intestine, Small / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D014463:Ultrasonography; D008061:Whipple Disease / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents