Whipple's disease: a case report in Santa Catarina, Brazil

Whipple's disease is a rare systemic infection caused by a diastase-resistant and Gram-positive bacillus called Tropheryma whipplei. The diagnosis of the disease is difficult and often late due to the variety of the symptoms. The objective of this study was to report a rare case of Whipple's disease treated at the Internal Medicine service of a hospital in the Midwest of Santa Catarina, Brazil. The patient was invited for an interview to describe the history of symptoms and previous treatments. Additionally, test results and treatments performed during hospitalization were assessed through the medical records. The case report describes a 39-year-old white male who presented, at the time of diagnosis, severe diarrhea, hematochezia, weight loss, fever, and inguinal adenomegaly, in addition to preceding migratory polyarthritis. After investigation, the diagnosis of Whipple's disease was achieved in conjunction with antibiotic treatment, with improvement of clinical and laboratory symptoms after 15 days. This case highlights the broad array of symptoms and the non-specific features of the Whipple's disease. Establishing an early diagnosis is essential for the success of the treatment, avoiding a long-lasting escalation of symptoms, which lead to cachexia and a devastating loss of the patient's quality of life.