Isolated Whipple disease of the brain resembling a tumour

Acta Neurochir (Wien). 2009 Feb;151(2):173-5. doi: 10.1007/s00701-008-0180-6. Epub 2009 Feb 5.

Abstract

Introduction: Isolated Whipple disease of the central nervous system is a rare occurrence. Migratory arthralgias and gastrointestinal problems, including malabsorption, abdominal pain, diarrhea, and weight loss, are common presenting symptoms.

Discussion: For those patients with systemic signs and symptoms of Whipple disease, 6% to 43% will have clinically manifested CNS involvement that may include alterations in personality, ataxia, and dementia. We report our experience with a patient, who was successfully treated for Whipple disease 12 years prior to presentation and had a magnetic resonance image of the brain that revealed two solitary lesions resembling a tumor upon presentation.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Anti-Infective Agents / therapeutic use
  • Brain Neoplasms / diagnosis
  • Chronic Disease / therapy
  • Consciousness Disorders / etiology
  • Diagnosis, Differential
  • Diagnostic Errors / prevention & control*
  • Encephalitis / microbiology*
  • Encephalitis / pathology*
  • Encephalitis / surgery
  • Headache / etiology
  • Humans
  • Hypothalamus / microbiology
  • Hypothalamus / pathology
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Neurosurgical Procedures
  • Temporal Lobe / microbiology*
  • Temporal Lobe / pathology*
  • Temporal Lobe / surgery
  • Treatment Outcome
  • Trimethoprim, Sulfamethoxazole Drug Combination / therapeutic use
  • Tropheryma / physiology
  • Whipple Disease / pathology*
  • Whipple Disease / physiopathology
  • Whipple Disease / surgery

Substances

  • Anti-Infective Agents
  • Trimethoprim, Sulfamethoxazole Drug Combination