Whipple’s Disease

Whipple’s disease is a rare bacterial infection in your small intestine. It affects your body’s ability to digest food and absorb nutrients (malabsorption). You may develop Whipple’s disease after exposure to Tropheryma whipplei, a common bacterium that lives in dirt. Fortunately, a combination of antibiotics kills the bacteria in your body, eases your symptoms and cures the condition.

How common is Whipple’s disease?

While the bacterium that causes the disease is common, Whipple’s disease is very rare. Experts analyzing Whipple’s disease cases estimate it affects 9 in 1 million people in the U.S. Not everyone who encounters T.whipplei develops the disease.