This episode delves into the history of Whipple’s disease — from its initial description, to the lengthy process of proving it’s an infectious disease.

• Intro :11
• In this episode :12
• The initial case report 1:35
• How I fit into the history of Whipple’s 4:46
• Back to the case report 6:56
• Bodies in the intestines 10:12
• More about George Hoyt Whipple 10:50
• Whipple may not have been the first to identify this condition 14:19
• First treatment with antibiotics 15:55
• Personality change after antibiotics 19:12
• Whipple’s disease intestines have positive staining 20:20
• Using the electron microscope in Whipple’s disease 21:18
• Summary and take-home 25:19

Disclosure: Brown reports no relevant financial disclosures.

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References:

Bayless, TM. Adv intern Med. 1970;16:171-189.

Black-Schaffer B. Proc Soc Exp Biol Med. 1949;72:225-227.

Fenollar F, et al. N Engl J Med. 2007;356:55‐66.

Hendrix JP, et al. Arch Intern Med (Chic).1950;85:91-131.

Morgan AD. Gut. 1961;2:370-372.

Paulley JW. Gastroenterology. 1952;​22:128-133.​

Raoult D, et al. N Engl J Med. 2000;342:620-625.

Relman DA, et al. N Engl J Med. 1992;327:293-301. ​

Whipple GH. Bull Johns Hopkins Hosp. 1907;18:382-391.