tropical sprue

tropical sprue, rare acquired disease characterized by an impairment of the small intestine’s ability to absorb fats, vitamins, and minerals. Tropical sprue is found primarily in Cuba, Haiti, and Puerto Rico and in India and Pakistan.

Sprue often attacks middle-aged adults. Its cause is unknown; infection, parasite infestation, vitamin deficiency, and food toxins have been suggested as possible causes. Pathophysiologically, any of those potential causative factors would inflict damage on the mucosal lining of the small intestine. Mucosal damage has been linked to subsequent bacterial overgrowth in the small intestine, which in turn is responsible for inadequate fat digestion and absorption.

The onset of tropical sprue is insidious. In the initial phase, symptoms typically include fatigue, weakness, loss of appetite, nausea, dehydration, and numerous bulky, frothy, greasy, light-coloured stools. Psychological symptoms, such as irritability, depression, and difficulty concentrating, may also be present. Following this initial phase, some persons experience spontaneous remission, in which symptoms suddenly disappear. For others, however, the disease progresses and eventually becomes chronic. After three to six months, affected individuals experience prominent weight loss, dry skin, an inflamed and painfully fissured tongue, fissures of the mouth lining, and swelling and scaling of the lips. If the disease continues to progress, signs of nutritional deficiencies, particularly vitamin B₁₂ and folate deficiency from malabsorption, become increasingly apparent; severe anemia and imbalance of protein (e.g., albumins and globulins) and electrolytes (e.g., sodium, potassium, and chlorine in solution) may precipitate total debilitation.

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Dramatic improvement occurs after administering folic acid, a chemical of the vitamin B complex found in leafy vegetables and liver and also produced synthetically. Antibiotics, such as tetracycline and ampicillin, may also help improve symptoms. Tropical sprue is to be distinguished from celiac disease, which is also called nontropical sprue.