Whipple Disease
Whipple Disease Causes
Whipple disease is a disease that is caused by the bacteria Tropheryma whipple (Pu?chal X (2002). "Whipple's disease". Joint Bone Spine 69 (2): 133-40).
Whipple Disease Definition
Whipple disease is a systematic and rare disease which is often described as a gastrointestinal disorder that causes mal-absorption and affect other part of the including the heart, lungs, brain and eyes.
Whipple Disease Diagnosis
Diagnosis and confirmation of the medical condition and disease is made through the use intestinal biopsy, immunohistochemical staining for antibodies against the bacteria Tropheryma whipple and a confirmatory PCR-based assay. Endoscopy and x-ray are also used to confirm the medical condition.
Whipple Disease Symptoms and Signs
Its symptoms includes arthritis, malabsorption, accumulation of fatty deposits in lymph nodes of the intestine, lymphadenopathy, abdominal pain, diarrhea, fever and melanoderma. It may also show pedular vergence oscillations or the eyes and synchronous contractions of the masticatory muscles (Schwartz MA, Selhorst JB, Ochs AL, et al. Oculomasticatory myorhythmia: a unique movement disorder occurring in Whipple's disease. Ann Neurol 1986;20:677?683.[Medline]).
Whipple Disease Treatment
Treatment of Whipple disease includes oral administration and maintenance of penicillin, ampicillin, tetracycline or the co-trimoxazole for at least one to two years.