gastrointestinal disorders
Whipple Disease
Key Points
Infection by the bacteriaT. whippleiaffects many organs, including the gastrointestinal tract. Small bowel mucosal involvement causes malabsorption. Suspect Whipple disease in middle-aged White men who have arthritis and abdominal pain, diarrhea, weight loss, or other symptoms of malabsorption. Endoscopic small-bowel biopsy is necessary. Long-term antibiotic treatment is necessary, and relapses are common. 