IMMUNOPROLIFERATIVE SMALL-INTESTINE DISEA SE (IPSID) - A RARE FORM OFGASTROINTESTINAL LYMPHOMA

Worsening of long-lasting diarrhea, abdominal discomfort and weight lo ss were main symptoms in a 27-year-old Moroccan woman who had lived in Germany for 18 years. Pseudomonas, salmonella and lamblia cysts were found in stools. Histological examination of the gastrointestinal trac t showed immunoproliferative small intestinal disease (IPSID), charact erized by atrophy of the villi and lymphoplasmocytic infiltrates. alph a(1)-heavy chains were found immunohistologically in the biopsy specim en, but not in serum, urine or jejunal juice. HLA-typing gave evidence of A(9). Antibiotic treatment was successful for almost one year. Cli nical, histological and immunological diagnosis of IPSID in an African woman living for nearly 20 years in Europe shows that, besides enviro nmental factors, genetic disposition is an essential factor in the dev elopment of IPSID.