BACK TOTOP Browse A-ZSearchBrowse A-ZABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ0-9 E-mail FormEmail ResultsName:Email address:Recipients Name:Recipients address:Message: Print-FriendlyBookmarksbookmarks-menuTropical sprueTropical sprue is a condition that occurs in people who live in or visit tropical areas for extended periods of time. It impairs nutrients from being absorbed from the intestines.Tropical sprue (TS) is a syndrome characterized by acute or chronic diarrhea, weight loss, and malabsorption of nutrients.MalabsorptionMalabsorption involves problems with the body's ability to take in (absorb) nutrients from food.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Causes This disease is caused by damage to the lining of the small intestine. It comes from having too much of certain types of bacteria in the intestines.Risk factors are:Living in the tropics Long periods of travel to tropical destinations Symptoms Symptoms include:Abdominal cramps Abdominal crampsAbdominal pain is pain that you feel anywhere between your chest and groin. This is often referred to as the stomach region or belly.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Diarrhea, worse on a high-fat diet Excess gas (flatus) Excess gas (flatus)Gas is air in the intestine that is passed through the rectum. Air that moves from the digestive tract through the mouth is called belching. Gas is ...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Fatigue Fever Leg swelling Weight lossWeight lossUnexplained weight loss is a decrease in body weight, when you did not try to lose the weight on your own. Many people gain and lose weight. Uninten...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Symptoms may not appear for up to 10 years after leaving the tropics. Exams and Tests There is no clear marker or test that clearly diagnoses this problem.Certain tests help to confirm that poor absorption of nutrients is present:D-xylose test to see how well the intestines absorb a simple sugar Tests of the stool to see if fat is absorbed correctly Blood tests to measure iron, folate, vitamin B12, or vitamin D Vitamin B12The vitamin B12 level is a blood test that measures how much vitamin B12 is in your blood.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Complete blood count (CBC) Complete blood count A complete blood count (CBC) test measures the following:The number of white blood cells (WBC count)The number of red blood cells (RBC count)The numb...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Tests that examine the small intestine may include:Enteroscopy EnteroscopyEnteroscopy is a procedure used to examine the small intestine (small bowel).ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Upper endoscopy Upper endoscopyEndoscopy is a way of looking inside the body using a flexible tube that has a small camera and light on the end of it. This instrument is called an...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Biopsy of the small intestine Upper GI seriesUpper GI seriesAn upper GI and small bowel series is a set of x-rays taken to examine the esophagus, stomach, and small intestine. Barium enema is a related test th...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Treatment Treatment begins with plenty of fluids and electrolytes. Replacement of folate, iron, vitamin B12, and other nutrients may also be needed. Antibiotic therapy with tetracycline or trimethoprim with sulfamethoxazole is typically given for 3 to 6 months.In most cases, oral tetracycline is not prescribed for children until after all the permanent teeth have come in. This medicine can permanently discolor teeth that are still forming. However, other antibiotics can be used. Outlook (Prognosis) The outcome is good with treatment. Possible Complications Vitamin and mineral deficiencies are common.In children, sprue leads to:Delay in the maturing of bones (skeletal maturation) Growth failureGrowth failureFailure to thrive refers to children whose current weight or rate of weight gain is much lower than that of other children of similar age and sex....Read Article Now Book Mark Article When to Contact a Medical Professional Contact your health care provider if:Tropical sprue symptoms get worse or do not improve with treatment. You develop new symptoms. You have diarrhea or other symptoms of this disorder for a long period of time, especially after spending time in the tropics. Prevention Other than avoiding living in or traveling to tropical climates, there is no known prevention for tropical sprue.Open ReferencesReferencesRamakrishna BS. Tropical diarrhea and malabsorption. In: Feldman M, Friedman LS, Brandt LJ, eds. Sleisenger and Fordtran's Gastrointestinal and Liver Disease: Pathophysiology/Diagnosis/Management. 11th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2021:chap 108.Semrad CE. Approach to the patient with diarrhea and malabsorption. In: Goldman L, Cooney KA, eds. Goldman-Cecil Medicine. 27th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2024:chap 126.AllVideoImagesTogDigestive system - illustration The esophagus, stomach, large and small intestine, aided by the liver, gallbladder and pancreas convert the nutritive components of food into energy and break down the non-nutritive components into waste to be excreted.Digestive systemillustrationDigestive system organs - illustration The digestive system organs in the abdominal cavity include the liver, gallbladder, stomach, small intestine and large intestine.Digestive system organsillustrationDigestive system - illustration The esophagus, stomach, large and small intestine, aided by the liver, gallbladder and pancreas convert the nutritive components of food into energy and break down the non-nutritive components into waste to be excreted.Digestive systemillustrationDigestive system organs - illustration The digestive system organs in the abdominal cavity include the liver, gallbladder, stomach, small intestine and large intestine.Digestive system organsillustration Tests for Tropical sprue EnteroscopyRelated Information Malabsorption(Condition)Diarrhea(Symptoms) Review Date: 12/31/2023 Reviewed By: Jenifer K. Lehrer, MD, Department of Gastroenterology, Aria - Jefferson Health Torresdale, Jefferson Digestive Diseases Network, Philadelphia, PA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team. The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. No warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied, is made as to the accuracy, reliability, timeliness, or correctness of any translations made by a third-party service of the information provided herein into any other language. © 1997- A.D.A.M., a business unit of Ebix, Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited. © 1997- All rights reserved. A.D.A.M. content is best viewed in IE9 or above, Firefox and Google Chrome browser.Content is best viewed in IE9 or above, Firefox and Google Chrome browser.
Tropical sprueTropical sprue is a condition that occurs in people who live in or visit tropical areas for extended periods of time. It impairs nutrients from being absorbed from the intestines.Tropical sprue (TS) is a syndrome characterized by acute or chronic diarrhea, weight loss, and malabsorption of nutrients.MalabsorptionMalabsorption involves problems with the body's ability to take in (absorb) nutrients from food.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Causes This disease is caused by damage to the lining of the small intestine. It comes from having too much of certain types of bacteria in the intestines.Risk factors are:Living in the tropics Long periods of travel to tropical destinations Symptoms Symptoms include:Abdominal cramps Abdominal crampsAbdominal pain is pain that you feel anywhere between your chest and groin. This is often referred to as the stomach region or belly.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Diarrhea, worse on a high-fat diet Excess gas (flatus) Excess gas (flatus)Gas is air in the intestine that is passed through the rectum. Air that moves from the digestive tract through the mouth is called belching. Gas is ...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Fatigue Fever Leg swelling Weight lossWeight lossUnexplained weight loss is a decrease in body weight, when you did not try to lose the weight on your own. Many people gain and lose weight. Uninten...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Symptoms may not appear for up to 10 years after leaving the tropics. Exams and Tests There is no clear marker or test that clearly diagnoses this problem.Certain tests help to confirm that poor absorption of nutrients is present:D-xylose test to see how well the intestines absorb a simple sugar Tests of the stool to see if fat is absorbed correctly Blood tests to measure iron, folate, vitamin B12, or vitamin D Vitamin B12The vitamin B12 level is a blood test that measures how much vitamin B12 is in your blood.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Complete blood count (CBC) Complete blood count A complete blood count (CBC) test measures the following:The number of white blood cells (WBC count)The number of red blood cells (RBC count)The numb...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Tests that examine the small intestine may include:Enteroscopy EnteroscopyEnteroscopy is a procedure used to examine the small intestine (small bowel).ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Upper endoscopy Upper endoscopyEndoscopy is a way of looking inside the body using a flexible tube that has a small camera and light on the end of it. This instrument is called an...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Biopsy of the small intestine Upper GI seriesUpper GI seriesAn upper GI and small bowel series is a set of x-rays taken to examine the esophagus, stomach, and small intestine. Barium enema is a related test th...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Treatment Treatment begins with plenty of fluids and electrolytes. Replacement of folate, iron, vitamin B12, and other nutrients may also be needed. Antibiotic therapy with tetracycline or trimethoprim with sulfamethoxazole is typically given for 3 to 6 months.In most cases, oral tetracycline is not prescribed for children until after all the permanent teeth have come in. This medicine can permanently discolor teeth that are still forming. However, other antibiotics can be used. Outlook (Prognosis) The outcome is good with treatment. Possible Complications Vitamin and mineral deficiencies are common.In children, sprue leads to:Delay in the maturing of bones (skeletal maturation) Growth failureGrowth failureFailure to thrive refers to children whose current weight or rate of weight gain is much lower than that of other children of similar age and sex....Read Article Now Book Mark Article When to Contact a Medical Professional Contact your health care provider if:Tropical sprue symptoms get worse or do not improve with treatment. You develop new symptoms. You have diarrhea or other symptoms of this disorder for a long period of time, especially after spending time in the tropics. Prevention Other than avoiding living in or traveling to tropical climates, there is no known prevention for tropical sprue.Open ReferencesReferencesRamakrishna BS. Tropical diarrhea and malabsorption. In: Feldman M, Friedman LS, Brandt LJ, eds. Sleisenger and Fordtran's Gastrointestinal and Liver Disease: Pathophysiology/Diagnosis/Management. 11th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2021:chap 108.Semrad CE. Approach to the patient with diarrhea and malabsorption. In: Goldman L, Cooney KA, eds. Goldman-Cecil Medicine. 27th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2024:chap 126.