Unusual manifestations

Unusual manifestations of Whipple's disease include:

• central nervous system:
  • dementia
  • ophthalmoplegia
  • myoclonus
  • oculomasticatory movements:
    • convergent eye movements with simultaneous chewing movements
      
      
• cardiac:
  • fibrous pericarditis
  • myocarditis
  • lesions of the mitral and aortic valves
    
    
• pulmonary:
  • pleural effusion
  • chronic cough
  • mediastinal widening caused by adenopathy
    
    
• a sarcoidosis-like syndrome:
  • the PCR test for T. whippelii should be used in patients with a diagnosis of sarcoidosis