SEARCHING FOR COELIAC DISEASE USING THE RAPID TEST: The Brasilian experience

Key words: Coeliac disease, Rapid test, Brasilian experience,Filariasis

Anti-tTG antibodies are highly predictive markers of active coeliac disease (CD). Because limited facilities are available for routine use of anti-tTG antibodies assays in developing countries, a simple, economical immunological test represents a great step forward in the screening of CD. The Authors determined the prevalence of coeliac disease in two different populations, one living in an urban and one living in a suburban impoverished area of Recife (Brazil), using two rapid tests based. They found out that the rapid assays were accurate in finding new coeliacs at a remarkably low cost. Presence of filariasis might interfere with the accuracy of the test.