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Ency. home > Disease > W > Whipple's disease

Whipple's disease   

Overview | Symptoms | Treatment | Prevention

Alternative names:

Intestinal lipodystrophy

Definition:

A rare disorder with widespread symptoms that causes malabsorption (inadequate absorption of nutrients from the intestinal tract) resulting from an infection of the intestine.

Causes and Risks

The cause is probably a bacterial infection due to Tropheryma whippelii. The disease affects primarily 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.

Ency. home > Disease > W > Whipple's disease

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