Celiac disease is a genetic disorder affecting children and adults.
People with celiac disease are unable to eat foods that contain gluten, which is found in wheat and other grains. In people with celiac disease, gluten sets off an autoimmune reaction that causes the destruction of the villi in the small intestine. Celiac sufferers produce antibodies to attack the gluten, but the same antibodies also attack the intestine, causing damage and illness. Finding the cause of this disease is a priority of the University of Maryland Center for Celiac Research. Symptoms of celiac disease include diarrhea, weight loss, abdominal pain, chronic fatigue, weakness, malnutrition, and other gastrointestinal problems.