Related Experiment Video
Updated: Nov 6, 2025

Skin Biopsy for Diagnosing Discoid Lupus Erythematosus
Published on: June 10, 2025
Clinical manifestations of Whipple's disease mimicking rheumatic disorders
Eugeniusz J Kucharz1, Justyna Kramza1, Anida Grosicka1
1Department of Internal Medicine, Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland.
Abstract:
Whipple's disease is a rare, chronic, systemic disorder caused by Tropheryma whipplei infection. The most common symptoms are weight loss, arthralgia, diarrhea and abdominal pain. Other organ involvement can also occur in the patients. Joint manifestations may mimic rheumatoid arthritis or spondyloarthritis. Arthalgia, arthritis, spondylodiscitis, bursitis and/or tenosynovitis are seen in the majority of the patients. This explains why some of the symptoms are misdiagnosed as those of rheumatic diseases. Understanding of Whipple's disease is important for differential diagnostics of several rheumatic symptoms.
Related Concept Videos
Rheumatic Heart Disease II: Clinical Manifestations and Diagnostic Studies
Rheumatic Heart Disease I: Introduction
Endocarditis II: Clinical Features of Infective Endocarditis
Inflammatory Bowel Disease II: Crohn's Disease
Inflammatory bowel disease, commonly known as IBD, refers to a collection of disorders that lead to persistent inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract. The two types of IBD are ulcerative colitis, which impacts the colon, and Crohn's disease, which can involve any part of the gastrointestinal segment.
Crohn's disease
Crohn's disease is a chronic, systemic inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that predominantly affects the gastrointestinal tract. It is marked by...
Myocarditis II: Clinical Features and Diagnostic Tests
Chronic Bowel Disorders: Introduction
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is a common disorder affecting the gastrointestinal tract. The distinctive feature is recurrent abdominal pain associated with altered bowel movements, manifesting as constipation, diarrhea, or fluctuating between both. The...

