Whipple’s disease
. Whipple disease is a rare bacterial infection that most often affects your joints and digestive system. Whipple disease interferes with normal digestion by impairing the breakdown of foods, such as fats and carbohydrates, and hampering your body's ability to absorb nutrients. Because of this, it affects many different parts of the body and is often fatal due to late diagnosis. Contact your doctor if you experience unusual signs or symptoms, such as unexplained weight loss, diarrhoea, abdominal pain or joint pain. A diagnosis of Whipple’s disease is complicated, especially because symptoms are similar to other more common conditions that range from celiac disease to neurological disorders. Your doctor will try to rule out these other conditions before diagnosing you with Whipple’s disease.