* It's form of malabsorption disease, caused by tropheryma whipplei organism.
* Typically in white men of middle age
* It's rare disease with unknown risk factors
Symptoms
* The symptoms start slowly
* Joint pain is the most common early symptoms
* GIT symptoms occure several years later
* Other symptoms like
" Abdominal pain " Diarrhea " Fever " Darkening of skin in light exposed area of the skin
" Joint pain [ ankle - knee - elbow - fingers - others ]
" Memory loss " Weight loss " mental changes
Physical Exam
* Enlarged lymph nodes
* Heart murmurs
* Oedema
Complications
* Brain damage
* Heart valve damage
* Weight loss
* Symptoms return
Investigations
* CBC * PCR * Fecal fat * Albumin level * D-xylose absorption
* Biopsy of small Bowel on periodic acid-schiff stain ( PAS ) → positive macrophages in lamina
properia contain Non-acid fast gram +ve bacilli
* Upper GIT endoscopy
Treatment
* Long term antibiotics to cure against CNS infection 👇
" Ceftraixone IV then TM-SM up to 1 year
" If symptoms back during antibiotics use → may change antibiotics
* Dietary supplements for malnutrition
