The evolution of coeliac disease

• Main Authors: Maša Glišović, Marina Mršnik, Zvonka Zupanič Slavec
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Slovenian Medical Association 2016-01-01
• Series: Zdravniški Vestnik
• Subjects: coeliac disease; cereals; history; diagnostics; Slovenia
• Online Access: http://vestnik.szd.si/index.php/ZdravVest/article/view/1347

<p>Coeliac disease is a multisystem disease that occurs as a result of the hypersensitivity of human organism to gluten, which is a protein found in the grain of wheat, barley, rice and oats. The disease was first described in the 2nd century; however, it is still often a great mystery. The pathophysiology of the disease was explained by the researchers after the Second World War, the final confirmation of the hypothesis, however, occurred in 1952. In the next few years the researchers have discovered many different antibodies in the blood of the patients and demonstrated that the disease is due to the immune response of the body to gluten. In the nineties they focused on the detection of the antigen and managed to discover it in the 1997. It was the enzyme tissue transglutaminase. The discovery of the main antigen has led also to improved diagnosis, besides the histological diagnosis based on the biopsy of the intestinal mucosa they also used ELISA test for determining antibodies against tissue transglutaminase. This review article presents the discovery of the disease in children and adults worldwide and in Slovenia and also the research work of the Slovenian doctors especially in the central Slovenian clinics, which led to public recognition of the disease and formation of societies for patients. Coeliac disease still remains an object of great interest and brings new answers to open questions. </p>