title: Coeliac disease in Libyan children: a screening study based on the rapid determination of anti-transglutaminase antibodies.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Coeliac disease is a common disorder in North Africa; however, there are no data on coeliac disease prevalence in Libya.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  (1) To determine coeliac disease prevalence in Libyan schoolchildren by screening with a rapid test for IgA anti-transglutaminase determination on a blood drop; (2) to evaluate the accuracy of the rapid anti-transglutaminase test.
  
  
  METHODS
  We screened 2920 students (1452 females and 1468 males) attending school in El Beida (Libya) by the rapid anti-transglutaminase test. Conventional ELISA anti-transglutaminase in rapid test positives and small intestinal biopsy in ELISA positives were performed for coeliac disease diagnosis. Conventional IgA anti-transglutaminase was performed also in 800 rapid test negative subjects.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The rapid anti-transglutaminase test was positive in 50/2920 (1.7%) subjects but only 20/50 were confirmed by the ELISA determination. The diagnosis of coeliac disease was biopsy-confirmed in 19 out of these 20. The serum ELISA IgA anti-transglutaminase was positive in 4 out of 800 rapid test negative children. Coeliac disease prevalence was 0.79-1.13%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Coeliac disease in Libyan children is as common as in Europe, affecting around 1% of the general population. The rapid test for IgA anti-transglutaminase determination on a blood drop was not an efficient screening test.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Omar Al Mukhtar University, Al Bayda, Libya.
authors.forename: Kamla
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Alarida
authors.forename: Juma
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Harown
authors.forename: Adel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ahmaida
authors.forename: Luisita
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Marinelli
authors.forename: Cinzia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Venturini
authors.forename: Graziano
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kodermaz
authors.forename: Renato
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tozzoli
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mandolesi
authors.forename: Italo
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Bearzi
authors.forename: Carlo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Catassi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002446:Celiac Disease / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000097:blood*; D008002:Libya / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D015995:Prevalence; D011503:Transglutaminases / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D011503:Transglutaminases