Question:

Periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) positive macrophages are seen in:

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Foamy PAS-positive macrophages full of T. whipplei.
Updated On: Jun 24, 2026
  • Whipple's disease
  • Crohn's disease
  • AIDS
  • None of the above
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The Correct Option is A

Solution and Explanation

Step 1: The traditional laboratory diagnosis of Whipple's disease is based on light microscopy showing diastase-resistant, periodic acid-Schiff (PAS)-positive granules within macrophages in the affected tissue, so option 1 is correct.

Step 2: These PAS-positive macrophages contain the causative organism Tropheryma whipplei.

Step 3: A similar PAS-positive picture can be mimicked by Mycobacterium avium infection in AIDS, but the distinction is made by acid-fast staining, which is positive for M. avium and negative for Whipple's disease. Thus the classic, defining association is Whipple's disease.

Step 4: Crohn's disease does not show this PAS-positive macrophage pattern, so option 2 is wrong, and option 4 is excluded because Whipple's disease is the correct match.
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