Does celiac disease occur in Afro-derived Brazilian populations?

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder that occurs in genetically susceptible individuals in whom the ingestion of dietary gluten induces intestinal mucosa inflammation. Previous studies suggest that celiac disease may either be very rare or underdiagnosed in African and/or African-derived population. AIM: Determine the prevalence of celiac disease in Sub-Saharan African-derived Brazilian communities using serological screening. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Inhabitants from 10 African-derived communities from Northeastern of Brazil were screened for celiac disease. All sera were tested for endomysial class IgA antibody using indirect immunofluorescence. RESULTS: No positive test for IgA-endomysial was observed in the 860 individuals tested. CONCLUSION: Our data suggests a low prevalence of celiac disease in African-derived Brazilian populations.