Premature ovarian failure in suspected Whipple's disease

Fertil Steril. 2007 Dec;88(6):1676.e13-4. doi: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2007.01.121.

Abstract

Introduction: Whipple's disease is a relapsing systemic infectious disease probably caused by the Gram-positive bacillus Tropheryma whippelii. The diagnosis can be established based on the characteristic histopathological features found in the affected organ (foamy macrophages with a coarsely granular cytoplasm, which stains with PAS, and by means of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technology).

Case report: We report a case of a 23-year-old woman affected by suspected Whipple's disease. She presented encephalopathy and neuropathy with inveterate hyperpyrexia and alteration of the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovary axe. She was amenorrheic because of an hypergonadotropic hypogonadism.

Discussion: This hypogonadism is possibly due to follicular depletion caused by inveterate hyperpyrexia or T. whipplii localization.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Hypogonadism / diagnosis
  • Hypogonadism / etiology
  • Primary Ovarian Insufficiency / diagnosis
  • Primary Ovarian Insufficiency / etiology*
  • Whipple Disease / complications*
  • Whipple Disease / diagnosis