MORBUS WHIPPLE WITH NEGATIVE DUODENAL HIS TOLOGY - A CASE-REPORT AND REVIEW

The arthritis of Morbus Whipple is an early clinical manifestation of this rare disease. As the arthritis precedes the gastrointestinal symp toms, very often it is an important early diagnostic clue in this pote ntially fatal disease. The classical method in establishing the diagno sis is to show the characteristic histologic features in the affected tissues or in small bowel biopsy. Employed in the latter are usually m ultiple directed biopsies during duodenal endoscopy. This case report gives an example that the duodenum may be spared during active Whipple 's disease and even affected tissues must not show the characteristic features of Morbus Whipple.