Malabsorptive Disease

Question 1

What is Whipple disease?

Answer 1

Whipple disease is an infectious disease with gastrointestinal and systemic features caused by the actinomycete Tophermya whippeli. This disease resembles idiopathic steatorrhea.

Signs & Symptoms: The most common symptoms are diarrhea, abdominal pain, weight loss, and joint pain. The joint pains may occur many years before gastrointestinal symptoms develop. In more advanced disease, malabsorption leads to wasting and enlargement of abdominal lymph nodes. The poor absorption of fat causes development of steatorrhea. Neurological symptoms, including confusion, dementia, and memory loss, are more common with severe abdominal disease.

Question 2

What is small intestine bacterial overgrowth (SIBO)?

Answer 2

Small intestine bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) is characterized by excessive concentrations of colonic bacteria within the duodenum or jejunum. SIBO may produce abdominal pain, blasting, and diarrhea, owing to malabsorption.

Question 3

What is sprue?

Answer 3

Sprue is a disease of the intestinal tract characterized by malabsorption, weight loss, abdominal dispensation, bloating, diarrhea, and steatorrhea.