The Reversibility of Whipple's Disease

Abstract

AS an unusual cause of malabsorption, Whipple's uf disease (intestinal lipodystrophy) has excited the interest of clinicians because of the diffuse manifestations, the progressive clinical course and speculation over possible pathogenesis.The typical clinical picture is that of a debilitating disease manifested by abdominal pain, steatorrhea, gastrointestinal bleeding, lymphadenopathy, arthritis and pigmentation that, without treatment, usually leads to death within twelve months of the diagnosis. Diagnosis is based on the histologic demonstration of an accumulation of macrophages filled with cytoplasmic inclusions that give a positive periodic acidSchiff (PAS) reaction. These macrophages are present in the small-bowel mucosa, peripheral lymph nodes . . .