Research Paper on Whipple's Disease (Epidemiology Course) Proposal

Paper on Whipple's Disease (Epidemiology Course) - Research Proposal Example As earlier noted, it was the year 1907 when GH Whipple was able to discover the existence of Whipple's disease. He primarily noted it as a disease that affects the intestinal systems of the body and is caused by the bacterial Tropheryma Whipplei. It could be observed the disease first affects the function of the small intestines as the said part of the body intends to distribute nutrients to the body during absorption. Hence, because of this fact, it could be expected that once the disease develops in the small intestine, it is sure that the entire body system shall then suffer from the said failure. From this point, Whipple recognized that the disease is a fatal matter once it is not given the right attention needed. Although there had been some developed cure, it is still strongly suggested by medical experts that this particular disease be prevented well through regular bowel check ups. It is through the bowel of a patient that the said disease is being recognized. Likely, because of the malfunction of the small intestines, the bowel also becomes loose. With masses of fat present in the bowel, Whipple's Disease naturally is depicted as the (040.2) intestinal lipodystrophy as its ICD description. It could be observed that its name was transformed as Whipple's disease as an honor to the one who was able to state it as a real disease, an epidemic that is dangerous to human kind. II. NATURAL HISTORY The disease usually begins with regular illnesses that might not be easily detected immediately as a part of Whipple's disease. Undoubtedly, this is the reason why the disease only becomes eminent after two years of understanding and diagnosing the situation upon a patient. At some point, it could be said that the major implicative symptoms of the disease may not be easily detected. Because of the prolonged development of the situation, the function of the small intestine begins to weaken slowly, giving a time for the patient to care less about the said matter. However, as noted above, not treating the symptoms early might cause fatal dangers to the patient being affected by Whipple's disease. To understand the different symptoms further, here are the lists of the said events and body-conditions needed to be looked out for: (a)Typical diarrhea: A typical diarrhea usually lasts for three to four days and then ends. Usually, the return of the illness comes along not within three or four months after the previous diarrhea. However, in the case of Whipple's disease, the matter becomes a serious situation, whereas the patient begins to feel awful of diarrhea almost regularly within the first two months of the development of the disease. (b) abdominal cramping: this may happen due to the stressed status of the small intestines. Besides that, diarrhea itself could cause the pain, especially if the situation keeps on recurring between shorter times of relapse. (c)Fast Wight Loss: Because of constant diarrhea along with the maldistribution of the nutrients to the body, the weight of the patient is likely to drop from normal to state of malnutrition.