Encephalopathy in Whipple's disease

Abstract

A case of Whipple''s disease clinically diagnosed as Alzheimer''s presenile dementia is described. Widespread patchy accumulation of microglial cells stuffed with PAS-positive particles throughout the gray matter account for the clinical findings. Histochemical studies confirm the presence of a polysaccharide protein complex in these microglial cells. The material is similar to that found in the "foamy" mononuclear cells of other published cases of Whipple''s disease, but the presence of a cerebroside component cannot be ruled out. The quantitative chemical analysis of the affected cerebral cortex reveals no significant rise of the hexosamine content but a definite increase of cerebrosides.