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Whipple’s disease

• Overview
• Symptoms
• Treatment

Definition:

Whipple's disease is a rare condition in which infection makes the intestine unable to properly absorb nutrients. This is called malabsorption.

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: 12/19/2006
• Reviewed By: D. Scott Smith, M.D., MSc, DTM&H, Chief of Infectious Disease & Geographic Medicine, Kaiser Redwood City, CA & Adjunct Assistant Professor, Stanford University. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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