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Infection

How should classic Whipple disease be managed?

The optimal treatment for classic Whipple disease has not yet been determined. A recent study reported encouraging results for initial treatment with intravenous ceftriaxone or meropenem followed by long-term treatment with oral trimethoprim–sulfamethoxazole. However, discrepancies in the failure and/or relapse rates associated with trimethoprim–sulfamethoxazole show that this regimen may not be optimal.

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Figure 1: Very late relapse in a patient with classic Whipple disease.

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Fenollar, F., Raoult, D. How should classic Whipple disease be managed?. Nat Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol 7, 246–248 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrgastro.2010.46

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