Whipple disease presenting as posterior uveitis without prominent gastrointestinal symptoms

Abstract

Purpose: To describe the clinical presentation and course of Whipple disease in an adult.

Methods: A 34-year-old man with phthisis bulbi in the right eye secondary to uveitis-induced neovascular glaucoma presented with severe acute posterior uveitis in the left eye. He underwent esophagogastroduodenoscopy and jejunal biopsy for evaluation of anemia. The posterior uveitis was treated with a subtenon injection of triamcinolone.

Result: The diagnosis of Whipple disease was confirmed by polymerase chain reaction analysis of the jejunal biopsy that demonstrated Tropheryma whippelii rDNA.

Conclusion: Although Whipple disease is typically evident with malabsorption, it can also present as uveitis without prominent gastrointestinal symptoms.