Whipple's disease
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Whipple's disease
Whipple's disease is a rare illness caused by a bacterial infection that affects the intestines, preventing absorption of the nutrients in food and sometimes causing malnutrition and anemia. Symptoms of Whipple's disease include weight loss, diarrhea, abdominal pain, low fever, and pain in the joints.
If not treated, Whipple's disease may affect organs and systems of the body, including the heart, nervous system, and eyes.
Treatment for Whipple's disease is antibiotic medication. Although the illness usually improves within a few weeks once antibiotic therapy starts, the person may have to take antibiotics for a full year to help avoid having a relapse, which is common. If it is not treated, Whipple's disease leads to death.
Credits
| Author | Ralph Poore |
| Editor | Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA |
| Associate Editor | Tracy Landauer |
| Primary Medical Reviewer | Anne C. Poinier, MD - Internal Medicine |
| Specialist Medical Reviewer | Peter J. Kahrilas, MD - Gastroenterology |
| Last Updated | April 30, 2007 |
| Last updated: | April 30, 2007 |
|---|---|
| Author: | Ralph Poore |
| Reviewed By: | Anne C. Poinier, MD - Internal Medicine, Peter J. Kahrilas, MD - Gastroenterology |
| Editors: | Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA, Tracy Landauer |
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