BENGALURU: A 66-year-old wheelchair-bound man from Kolkata, who was suffering from a rare central nervous system (CNS) Whipple’s disease since 2017, was treated successfully at a private hospital in Bengaluru after multiple misdiagnoses earlier.
The patient suffered from headaches and weakness for which he was consulting a doctor in his hometown, but even after being on medication for a year, his condition deteriorated. He was unable to raise his arms above his head followed by reduced walking ability, drooping of eyelids, nasal speech, temporalis atrophy (thinning or loss of temporal muscle tissue) and difficulty in swallowing.
According to Fortis Hospital doctors in Bengaluru, he was misdiagnosed many times and even became
wheelchair-bound due to a delay in treatment. Dr Chandran Gnanamuthu, senior consultant (Neurology), diagnosed him with a CNS Whipple’s disease after performing a series of tests. The doctor explained that it is a rare illness caused by a type of bacteria which is usually fatal if not treated on time.
Patients with Whipple’s disease are administered long-term antibiotics to cure any infection of the brain. The patient was given intravenous ceftriaxone (2 gm) and also medication for fever, acid reflux and anti-nausea for four days. The medication helped stabilise the patient’s condition within a short span and he was discharged after four days. He has been asked to continue taking his medication.