Comprehending the problem
Celiac disease (CD) is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the small intestine produced by the ingestion of dietary gluten products such as wheat, barley, and rye in genetically susceptible individuals.1,2 First described in 1888 by Samuel Gee, it was only in 1953 that the importance of gluten in the origin of this pathology was recognised.1 In the broad spectrum of varying etiologies of food intolerance, CD is a functionally determined food allergy which represents a distinct immune-mediated entity (Figure 1).