[Tropical sprue. Apropos of a case observed in the Paris region]

A case of tropical sprue in a 73-year old parisian male returning from endemic areas is reported. Clinical manifestations were megaloblastic anemia, malabsorption and protein-losing enteropathy. Biopsy of the jejunal mucosa showed partial villous atrophy with thickening of the basement membrane region; fat droplets were observed inside and close to the epithelial cells on electron microscopy study. Fat intestinal absorption after a test meal was delayed. Clinical, biological and histological improvement was obtained with tetracycline and folic acid therapy. The particular clinical and anatomical features of this case, as well as the difficulties for establishing the diagnosis of tropical sprue in non-endemic areas are analyzed.