Whipple’s disease

Injury	Disease	Nutrition	Poison

Symptoms	Surgery	Test	Special Topic

Overview

Symptoms

Treatment

Prevention

Whipple’s disease

Definition:

Whipple's disease is a rare condition that causes malabsorption (inadequate absorption of nutrients from the intestinal tract) due to infection of the intestine.

Alternative Names:

Intestinal lipodystrophy

Causes, incidence, and risk factors:

Whipple's disease is most likely caused by infection with Tropheryma whippelii. The disorder primarily affects middle-aged white men, and the onset of symptoms is usually slow. Without treatment, it may be fatal.

Whipple's disease is extremely rare, and risk factors are unknown.

Review Date: 10/25/2004
Reviewed By: Daniel Levy, M.D., Ph.D., Infectious Diseases, Greater Baltimore Medical Center, Baltimore, MD. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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