Tropical Sprue—Specific Disease or Extreme of a Spectrum?
Authors: ARTHUR B. FRENCH
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (1968)

Editorials1 June 1968Tropical Sprue—Specific Disease or Extreme of a Spectrum?ARTHUR B. FRENCH, M.D., F.A.C.P.ARTHUR B. FRENCH, M.D., F.A.C.P.Search for more papers by this authorAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-68-6-1362 SectionsAboutPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail ExcerptTropical sprue is a form of malabsorption that occurs in residents of the tropics. Symptoms are those of malabsorption: diarrhea, abdominal distention, and weight loss with general malnutrition and specific nutritional deficiencies. Biopsies of small-intestinal mucosa show mild to moderate abnormality of villus architecture, changing from delicate fingerlike to leaflike, convoluted, or flattened villi. Intra-cytoplasmic vacuolation and disorganization of the brush border of epithelial cells are seen histologically, especially at the tips of villi. There are increases in lymphocytes, plasma cells, and sometimes eosinophils in the lamina propria of the villi. Severe abnormality, such as flattened epithelium completely lacking in...References1. BAKER SJ, IGNATIUS M, MATHAN VI, VAISH SK, and CHACKO CC: Intestinal biopsy in tropical sprue, in Intestinal Biopsy, Ciba Foundation Study Group no. 14, Little, Brown and Co., Boston, 1962, p. 84. Google Scholar2. FRENCH JM, GADDIE R, and SMITH NM: Tropical sprue: a study of seven cases and their response to combined chemotherapy. Quart. J. Med. 25: 333, 1956. MedlineGoogle Scholar3. MOLLIN DL, BOOTH CC, and BAKER SJ: The absorption of vitamin B12 in control subjects, in Addisonian pernicious anaemia and in the malabsorption syndrome. Brit. J. Haemat. 3: 412, 1957. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar4. O'BRIEN W and ENGLAND MW: Military tropical sprue from south-east Asia. Brit. Med. J. 2: 1157, 1966. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar5. WEBB JD and SIMPSON B: Tropical sprue in Hong Kong. Ibid., p. 1162. Google Scholar6. SPRINZ H, SRIBHIBHADH R, GANGAROSA EJ, BENYAJATI C, KUNDEL D, and HALSTEAD S: Biopsy of small bowel of Thai people with special reference to recovery from Asiatic cholera and to an intestinal malabsorption syndrome. Amer. J. Clin. Path. 38: 43, 1962. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar7. TRONCALE FJ, KEUSCH GT, MILLER LH, OLSSON RA, and BUCHANAN RD: Normal absorption in Thai subjects with non-specific jejunal abnormalities. Brit. Med. J. 4: 578, 1967. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar8. LINDENBAUM J, JAMIUL ALAM AK, and KENT TH: Subclinical small-intestinal disease in East Pakistan. Brit. Med. J. 2: 1616, 1966. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar9. KLIPSTEIN FA: Tropical sprue—an iceberg disease? (editorial). Ann. Intern. Med. 66: 622, 1967. LinkGoogle Scholar10. ROBINS SJ, GARCIA-PALMIERI M, and RUBIO C: Low serm cholesterol levels and subclinical malabsorption. Ibid., p. 556. Google Scholar11. BANWELL JG, HUTT MS, and TUNNICLIFFE R: Observations on jejunal biopsy in Ugandan Africans. E. Afr. Med. J. 41: 46, 1964. MedlineGoogle Scholar12. KLIPSTEIN FA, SAMLOFF IM, and SCHENK EA: Tropical sprue in Haiti. Ann. Intern. Med. 64: 575, 1966. LinkGoogle Scholar13. RUSSELL PK, AZIZ MA, AHMAD N, PATH FC, KENT TH, and GANGAROSA EJ: Enteritis and gastritis in young asymptomatic Pakistani man. Amer. J. Dig. Dis. 11: 296, 1966. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar14. LINDENBAUM J, KENT TH, and SPRINZ H: Malabsorption and jejunitis in American Peace Corps Volunteers in Pakistan. Ann. Intern. Med. 65: 1201, 1966. LinkGoogle Scholar15. GARDNER FH and SANTIAGO EP: Oral absorption tolerance tests in tropical sprue. Arch. Intern. Med. (Chicago) 98: 467, 1956. CrossrefGoogle Scholar This content is PDF only. To continue reading please click on the PDF icon. Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAuthors: ARTHUR B. FRENCH, M.D., F.A.C.P.Affiliations: University Hospital The University of Michigan Medical Center Ann Arbor, Mich. PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Metrics Cited byA perspective on tropical sprueInvestigations concerning the prevalence of nutritional defiencies and intestinal malabsorption among rural populations of the West Indies. I. Methodology 1 June 1968Volume 68, Issue 6Page: 1362-1365KeywordsDiarrheaEosinophilsEpithelial cellsEpitheliumLymphocytesMalnutritionMucous membranesPlasma cellsTropical diseasesWeight loss ePublished: 1 December 2008 Issue Published: 1 June 1968 PDF downloadLoading ...