Whipple's disease: a difficult diagnosis?

Abstract

We present 3 patients with Whipple's disease all characterized by a longstanding prodromal period with progressive weight loss, diarrhoea, lymphadenitis and arthralgia or arthritis. Sarcoid-like Whipple's disease was diagnosed in one patient. He was treated with antibiotics. Initially his condition improved; however, a cerebral relapse developed which was treated successfully by ceftriaxone and cefixime. Extraintestinal Whipple's disease (lymph node localisation) was diagnosed in another patient treated successfully with antibiotics. A third case of Whipple's disease was unexpectedly diagnosed by laparotomy and partial small bowel resection. He was not treated till 2 years later with tetracycline. After 1 year of treatment his condition had improved.

• Authors: F P Peters, E A Elbrecht, R S Wouters, L G Engels, R W Stockbrügger
• Journal: The Netherlands journal of medicine (Neth J Med) Vol. 49 Issue 3 Pg. 106-11 (Sep 1996) ISSN: 0300-2977 [Print] Netherlands
• PMID: 8854673 (Publication Type: Case Reports, Journal Article, Review)

Chemical References

• Anti-Bacterial Agents

Topics

• Aged
• Anti-Bacterial Agents (therapeutic use)
• Diagnosis, Differential
• Duodenum (pathology)
• Female
• Gram-Positive Bacteria (isolation & purification)
• Humans
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Whipple Disease (diagnosis, drug therapy, microbiology, pathology)