Astroviruses and celiac disease: a preliminary study into potential environmental triggers

Objective: Celiac disease (CD) is a chronic, multi-organ, autoimmune disease in which different viruses may play a role in the pathogenesis. human astroviruses (Mamastrovirus) have also been shown to infect enterocytes and replicate in intestinal enteroids. Therefore, astroviruses are thought to be one of the critical environmental factors for celiac patients. This is the the first study investigating relationship between CD and astroviruses. Materials and Methods: Previously-described PCR protocols for screening and typing of mamastroviruses were modified and optimized. These molecular methods were used for the stool and duodenal biopsy samples of 53 patients; six newly diagnosed CD, three celiac patients with good treatment responses, 23 refractory CD and 21 patients with dyspepsia. Results: Astroviruses could not be detected in the stool and duodenal biopsy samples of 53 patients. Conclusion: Although no evidence for the association of Mamastrovirus infection and CD could be demonstrated in this study, this might have been due to limited cohort size. Therefore, comprehensive studies with larger samples with different patient groups are needed.