Tropical sprue is a malabsorption syndrome characterized by acute or chronic diarrhea. It is seen in the people of the tropical region in the absence of any specific cause of malabsorption. It is thought to be infectious in etiology with a contribution of environmental factors. It affects the small intestine and is characterized by malabsorption and multiple nutritional deficiencies, especially vitamin B12 and folic acid.
The disease was first described by William Hillary in 1759 in a population with chronic diarrhea from Barbados. The term “sprue” was added later by Patrick Manson in 1880 to describe persistent diarrhea seen in the Asian countries.
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