Common Virus May Trigger Celiac Disease; Vaccine To Cure Gluten Intolerance [Video] stat : University Herald

Common virus was found to trigger Celiac disease, a food reaction against gluten. Several experiments had been conducted that celiac disease had been triggered by common virus rather than by ingesting food rich in gluten. In addition, these findings explain why not everyone thought to be prone to celiac disease suffer from it. In the United States, out of 0 to 40 percent exhibiting celiac disease features, only 1 percent is confirmed to have it. This means that symptoms of celiac disease could be triggered by other pathogens and not just gluten, Science News reported.




A usually harmless virus may play a role in triggering celiac disease, a new study in mice suggests. Previous studies have suggested a link between infections with certain viruses, including hepatitis C virus, and rotavirus (a virus in the same family as reovirus) and the development of celiac disease. But the study also found that patients with celiac disease did have higher levels of antibodies against reovirus, compared to people without the condition. The findings suggest that reovirus infection may leave a "permanent mark" on the immune system that sets the body up for developing celiac disease, the researchers said. "A virus that is not clinically symptomatic can still do bad things to the immune system and set the stage for an autoimmune disorder," such as celiac disease, study co-author Dr. Bana Jabri, director of research at the University of Chicago Celiac Disease Center, said in a statement.


If it's true that the virus can trigger celiac disease, then young children who carry the risk genes for celiac could be vaccinated against Reovirus. For people with celiac disease, gluten can wreak havoc on their digestive systems. They found people who have celiac disease have two- to five-fold higher levels of reovirus-specific antibodies. The mice developed "an immunological response against gluten that mimics the features of humans with celiac disease," Dermody says. The symptoms of celiac disease include diarrhea and other signs of gastrointestinal distress.


collected by :Sandra Alex
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