In-vivo identification of Whipple's disease-associated foamy macropahges by confocal laser endomicroscopy

Introduction: Whipple's disease is a very rare illness caused by the actinobacterium Tropheryma whipplei. In most cases, a prodromal stage made up by arthralgia and arthritis is followed by gastrointestinal symptoms such as weight loss and diarrhoea. Antibiotic therapy leads to complete recovery, but relapses after successful treatment occur in up to 33%. Case report: We report on a 69-year-old woman who was transferred to our department for clarification of massive weight loss of 25kg within 6 months and unexplained diarrhoea. One year prior to the onset of gastrointestinal symptoms she presented with arthralgi…