Shrinking Apple CEO reveals illness details

Steve Jobs jokes about speculation on his health to illustrate a technology presentation.

Apple investors and Apple fans heaved a collective sigh of relief on Monday after CEO and founder Steve Jobs finally made an attempt to end rumours that he's on his deathbed.

Jobs sent a letter to his followers, who will be gathering at the Macworld Expo in San Francisco in his absence, explaining his recent weight-loss has been due to a hormonal imbalance.

"As many of you know, I have been losing weight throughout 2008. The reason has been a mystery to me and my doctors. A few weeks ago, I decided that getting to the root cause of this and reversing it needed to become my number one priority.

"Fortunately, after further testing, my doctors think they have found the cause - a hormone imbalance that has been robbing me of the proteins my body needs to be healthy. Sophisticated blood tests have confirmed this diagnosis," Jobs explained in the letter.

Jobs goes on to say the remedy is "relatively simple and straightforward" and that he's already begun treatment.

Apple shares were up almost 5 percent in early Wall Street trading on Monday.

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