Find information on thousands of medical conditions and prescription drugs.

Tropical sprue

Tropical sprue is a malabsorption disease commonly found in the tropical regions, marked with abnormal flattening of the villi and inflammation of the lining of the small intestine. more...

Home
Diseases
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
Q
R
S
T
Candidiasis
Tachycardia
Taeniasis
Talipes equinovarus
TAR syndrome
Tardive dyskinesia
Tarsal tunnel syndrome
Tay syndrome ichthyosis
Tay-Sachs disease
Telangiectasia
Telangiectasia,...
TEN
Teratoma
Teratophobia
Testotoxicosis
Tetanus
Tetraploidy
Thalassemia
Thalassemia major
Thalassemia minor
Thalassophobia
Thanatophobia
Thoracic outlet syndrome
Thrombocytopenia
Thrombocytosis
Thrombotic...
Thymoma
Thyroid cancer
Tick paralysis
Tick-borne encephalitis
Tietz syndrome
Tinnitus
Todd's paralysis
Topophobia
Torticollis
Touraine-Solente-Golé...
Tourette syndrome
Toxic shock syndrome
Toxocariasis
Toxoplasmosis
Tracheoesophageal fistula
Trachoma
Transient...
Transient Global Amnesia
Transposition of great...
Transverse myelitis
Traumatophobia
Treacher Collins syndrome
Tremor hereditary essential
Trichinellosis
Trichinosis
Trichomoniasis
Trichotillomania
Tricuspid atresia
Trigeminal neuralgia
Trigger thumb
Trimethylaminuria
Triplo X Syndrome
Triploidy
Trisomy
Tropical sprue
Tropophobia
Trypanophobia
Tuberculosis
Tuberous Sclerosis
Tularemia
Tungiasis
Turcot syndrome
Turner's syndrome
Typhoid
Typhus
Tyrosinemia
U
V
W
X
Y
Z
Medicines

Symptoms

The symptoms of tropical sprue are:

  • Diarrhea
  • Steatorrhea or foul-smelling feces
  • Indigestion
  • Cramps
  • Weight loss and malnutrition
  • Fatigue

Left untreated, nutrient and vitamin deficiencies may develop in patients with tropical sprue. These deficiencies may have the following symptoms:

  • Vitamin A deficiency: hyperkeratosis or skin scales
  • Vitamin B12 and folic acid deficiencies: anemia
  • Vitamin D and calcium deficiencies: spasm, bone pain, numbness and tingling sensation
  • Vitamin K deficiency: bruises

Signs

Diagnosis of tropical sprue can be complicated because many diseases have similar symptoms. Your doctor would look for the following signs:

  • Abnormal flattening of villi and inflammation of the lining of the small intestine, observed during an endoscopic procedure.
  • Presence of inflammatory cell in the biopsy of small intestine tissue.
  • Low levels of vitamins A, B12, E, D, and K, as well as albumin, calcium, and folate, revealed by a blood test.
  • Excess fat in feces.

Tropical sprue is largely limited to regions about 30 degrees north and south of the equator, therefore recent travel to these regions is a key factor in diagnosing this disease.

Cause

The cause of tropical sprue is not known. It has been suggested that it is caused by bacterial, viral, amoebal, or parasitic infection. Folic acid deficiency and rancid fat have also been suggested as possible causes.

In a condition called celiac disease, which have similar symptoms to tropical sprue, the flattening of the villi and small intestine inflammation is caused by an autoimmune disorder.

Affected Regions

Tropical sprue is endemic to India and southeast Asia, Central and South America, and the Caribbean.

Prevention

Preventions of tropical sprue include avoiding travel to the affected regions.

If you have to travel, remember to use only bottled water for drinking, brushing teeth, and washing food. Do not eat fruits that have been washed with tap water or limit yourself to fruits that can be peeled, such as banana and oranges.

Treatment

Once diagnosed, tropical sprue can be treated by a course of antibiotics, vitamin and/or folic acid supplements.

Prognosis

The prognosis for tropical sprue is excellent. It usually does not recur in patients who get it during travel to affected regions. The recurrence rate for natives is about 20%.

Read more at Wikipedia.org


[List your site here Free!]


Exocrine pancreatic insufficiency in tropical sprue
From Alternative Medicine Review, 4/1/01 by M Morales

Background: Pancreatic insufficiency may appear secondary to several intestinal disorders. It may contribute to malabsorption in tropical sprue (TS). Methods: The exocrine pancreatic function was evaluated with the indirect pancreolauryl test (PT) in 56 patients with TS. The PT results were analyzed and correlated with serum albumin levels, degree of intestinal atrophy, and steatorrhea. Results: Abnormally low values were found in 36 (64.2%) cases. A significant relationship was not observed between PT and hypoalbuminemia. Patients with more severe damage by intestinal biopsy tended to have lower PT values. No relationship was found between pancreatic insufficiency and steatorrhea (expressed as g/24 h), but patients with pancreatic insufficiency had increased stool fat concentrations (expressed as percentage of wet stool weight). All patients responded favorably to treatment with folic acid and tetracycline. Fifteen patients with abnormal initial PT values underwent a repeat PT after a 6-week therapy; all of them showed normalization of PT values. Conclusions: The abnormal exocrine pancreatic function found with an indirect test in patients with TS is probably secondary to a low pancreatic hormonal stimulation due to intestinal damage, as occurs in celiac sprue. These abnormalities are reversible after specific treatment for TS.

Morales M, Galvan E, Mery CM. Digestion 2001;63:30-34.

COPYRIGHT 2001 Thorne Research Inc.
COPYRIGHT 2001 Gale Group

Return to Tropical sprue
Home Contact Resources Exchange Links ebay