Tumoural form of Whipple's disease simulating carcinomatosis.

Abstract

Whipple's disease is a rare disease caused by the actinomycete bacteria Tropheryma whipplei, which cause intestinal infection. The most common symptoms are chronic diarrhoea, weight loss, abdominal pain, arthritis and neurological abnormalities, which can be fatal. This paper reports a case of a 57-year-old Brazilian woman with diarrhoea, vomiting, abdominal pain, appetite loss, intermittent fever, malaise, weight loss and malnutrition. Migratory polyarthralgia and recurrent visual scotomas preceded the symptoms. The retroperitoneal pseudotumour formation finding was associated with prolonged wasting syndrome, which did not respond to usual therapies, thus leading to the investigation of carcinomatosis disease. After laparotomy, biopsy and histochemical study of the lesions with negative results for malignancy, we proceeded to the investigation of Whipple's disease, which was then confirmed. The patient improved clinically and started gaining weight after using ceftriaxone (IV).

• Authors: Jamille Hemétrio Salles Martins Costa, Aline Bussinger Maciel, Matheus de Navarro Guimarães Godinho, Rafaela Brito de Paula, Daniel Riani Gotardelo
• Journal: The Brazilian journal of infectious diseases : an official publication of the Brazilian Society of Infectious Diseases (Braz J Infect Dis) 2014 May-Jun Vol. 18 Issue 3 Pg. 346-9 ISSN: 1678-4391 [Electronic] Brazil
• PMID: 24690429 (Publication Type: Case Reports, Journal Article)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.

Chemical References

• Anti-Bacterial Agents
• Ceftriaxone

Topics

• Anti-Bacterial Agents (therapeutic use)
• Carcinoma (diagnosis)
• Ceftriaxone (therapeutic use)
• Diagnosis, Differential
• Female
• Humans
• Middle Aged
• Tropheryma (isolation & purification)
• Whipple Disease (diagnosis, drug therapy)