Mayo Clinic Health Manager
Get free personalized health guidance for you and your family.
Get StartedRisk factors
By Mayo Clinic staffBecause so little is known about the bacterium that causes Whipple's disease, risk factors for the disease haven't been clearly identified. Based on available reports, it appears more likely to affect men than women, with the greatest prevalence in the 30 to 60 age group. It also seems to occur most commonly in whites in North America and Europe.