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Can rotavirus cause any complcations? |
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Repeated rotavirus infections may increase the risk of celiac disease in genetically susceptible children.
Celiac DiseaseIntestinal infections have long been thought to contribute to the development of celiac disease, a common autoimmune disease where damage to the small intestine is caused by ingestion of the protein gluten found in wheat, barley and rye and foods containing or made from these grains.
Few studies, however, have looked at the role of specific infectious agents in the development of the disease. As participants in a study of the natural history and environmental triggers of diabetes and celiac disease, 1,931 children from the Denver metropolitan area who are genetically susceptible to celiac disease were monitored from infancy for rotavirus infection and the development of celiac disease autoimmunity.
Thirty-six of these children had an intestinal biopsy, of which 27 (75 percent) were positive for celiac disease. According to the team, frequent rotavirus infections predicted a higher risk of celiac disease autoimmunity.
The current study "provides the first indication that a high frequency of rotavirus infections may increase the risk of celiac disease autoimmunity in childhood in genetically predisposed individuals." American Journal of Gastroenterology, October 2006. |
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