Depending on how severe the disease is and how well it responds to treatment, the antibiotic may need to be taken for as long as 6 months. Nutritional supplements, especially folic acid, are given as needed. Whipple's disease is caused by an infection with the organism Tropheryma whippelii. The lining of the small intestine is always severely infected, but infection also may spread to other organs, such as the heart, lung, brain, joints, and eye. Symptoms and Diagnosis Symptoms of Whipple's disease include skin darkening, inflamed and painful joints, and diarrhea.
Severe malabsorption causes weight loss and anemia.
People with Whipple's disease may develop heart murmurs, which usually indicate that the infection has reached the heart, or liver enlargement, which usually indicates that it has reached the liver. Confusion, memory loss, or uncontrolled eye movements indicate that the infection involves the brain. If left untreated, the disease is progressive and fatal. The diagnosis of Whipple's disease is made by a biopsy of the small intestine or an enlarged lymph node that reveals characteristic microscopic abnormalities. Treatment Whipple's disease can be cured with antibiotics such as tetracycline, sulfasalazine, ampicillin, and penicillin.