What Is Celiac Disease (Celiac Sprue)?
Celiac (Greek koiliakos = abdominal) disease is an inherited malabsorption disorder affecting the small intestine, in which symptoms like diarrhea and bloating are triggered by a substance gluten, present in wheat, barley, rye and possibly oats. Celiac disease may be mild or severe and may affect children or adults. It is considered as a life long disease and requires permanent gluten-free diet to be controlled. Other names for celiac disease: celiac sprue, non-tropical sprue and gluten-sensitive enteropathy.
