Whipple's disease: A Case Report

Whipple's disease is an infectious disorder caused by Tropheryma whipplei (TW). Patients present with abdominal pain, diarrhoea and weight loss. The disease is commonly diagnosed by histological examination of small bowel biopsies, especially after staining with periodic acid-Schiff (PAS). Because of the rarity of the disease, its diagnosis is not often considered. Therefore, necessary investigations might be omitted. This case report might serve as a reminder for internists or general surgery or gastroenterologists to consider Whipple s disease in patients with abdominal or other symptoms after having excluded common differentials. Whipple disease is a chronic, relapsing, and multisystem disease. Long-term antibiotic therapy is required. Without treatment, Whipple s disease may be fatal. We also review the current literature on Whipple s disease. [Cukurova Med J 2012; 37(4.000): 223-228]