[Whipple disease and central nervous system]

Acta Med Port. 2005 May-Jun;18(3):199-208. Epub 2005 Jun 18.
[Article in Portuguese]

Abstract

Whipple disease (WD) is a rare systemic infection caused by the bacteria Tropheryma whipplei. Slowly progressive dementia, supranuclear ophthalmoplegia, headache, myoclonus, hypothalamic dysfunction, oculomasticatory-skeletal myorythmia are characteristic manifestations when WD involves the central nervous system (CNS). Treatment of cerebral WD should be performed with antibiotics that reach the CNS for at the least one-year. We alert for the early diagnosis of WD in patients with exclusively neurological clinical pictures, sometimes with atypical or non-definitive diagnosis, because it is a potential treatable disease.

Publication types

  • English Abstract
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Brain Diseases
  • Central Nervous System Bacterial Infections / diagnosis
  • Central Nervous System Bacterial Infections / drug therapy
  • Central Nervous System Bacterial Infections / etiology*
  • Humans
  • Whipple Disease / complications*