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Sub-Category:

Rare Bacterial Infections

Number of Conditions: 1

CNS Whipple Disease

Specialty: Infectious Diseases

Category: CNS Infections

Sub-category: Rare Bacterial Infections

Symptoms:
cognitive dysfunction; ophthalmoplegia; seizures; ataxia; headache; weight loss; joint pain

Root Cause:
Caused by Tropheryma whipplei, a rare bacterial infection leading to systemic and neurological symptoms.

How it's Diagnosed: videos
PCR testing for Tropheryma whipplei in CSF or tissue biopsy, histopathology with PAS-positive macrophages, and endoscopic biopsy of the duodenum.

Treatment:
Long-term antibiotic therapy, typically starting with intravenous ceftriaxone followed by oral trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole for one year.

Medications:
Ceftriaxone (IV beta-lactam antibiotic) followed by oral trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (a sulfonamide antimicrobial combination).

Prevalence: How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Extremely rare; precise prevalence is unknown but estimated at less than 1 per 1,000,000 people annually.

Risk Factors: Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Middle-aged males, HLA-B27 positivity, and immunosuppression.

Prognosis: The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Early treatment can lead to full recovery, but delayed diagnosis increases the risk of irreversible neurological damage.

Complications: Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Cognitive impairment, seizures, motor dysfunction, and death if untreated.