Whipple disease - It is a rare condition which prevents the small intestine to absorb nutrients properly.

Whipple disease - Signs, symptoms and causes

- Causes
Whipple's disease is caused by infection with bacteria called Tropheryma whippelii. The disorder mainly affects middle-aged men white.

Whipple's disease is extremely rare. Risk factors are unknown.

Signs and symptoms

Symptoms usually begin slowly. Then, over the years, develop gastrointestinal symptoms .. Symptoms may include:

Abdominal pain

Diarrhea

Fever

The skin takes on a brown color.

Memory loss

Mental changes

Weight loss

Diagnostic

Possible signs:

swollen lymph nodes

Gastrointestinal bleeding

heart murmur

Swelling in body tissues (edema)

Whipple's disease diagnostic tests may include:

Blood tests (CBC)

Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing affected by Tropheryma whippelii tissue

Small bowel biopsy

Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy.

This disease may also change the results of the following tests:

Levels of albumin in the blood

fecal fat

Intestinal absorption of a type of sugar (D-xylose absorption)

Whipple disease - Treatment

People with Whipple's disease need to take long-term antibiotics to cure any infection of the brain and central nervous system. An antibiotic called ceftriaxone is given intravenously (IV). This is followed by another antibiotic (such as trimethoprim - sulfamethoxazole) taken orally up to 1 year.

If symptoms return during antibiotic use, antibiotic treatment may be changed.

Those who are deficient in the nutritional malabsorption will also need to take nutritional supplements.