Enterovirus Infection During Pregnancy is Not a Risk Factor for Celiac Disease in the Offspring

BACKGROUND: There is a strong genetic influence on the susceptibility to celiac disease but it is also evident that environmental factors play a role in the development of the disease. Diverging studies about adenovirus infection as a possible triggering factor in the pathogenesis have been reported. Our study was undertaken to determine whether enterovirus infection during pregnancy is a risk factor for the development of celiac disease later in childhood. METHODS: Cord blood from 76 mothers whose children developed celiac disease before 15 years of age were analyzed for IgA, IgG, and IgM antibodies for enteroviruses and Ig-A endomysium antibodies. The control group comprised cord blood from 327 mothers with children without known celiac disease. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in antibody titers for enterovirus between the two groups. IgA-endomysium antibodies were elevated in 3 of the 76 mothers, whereas none had known celiac disease. CONCLUSION: This study does not show that enterovirus infection during pregnancy is associated with the development of celiac disease in childhood. Of the mothers whose children developed celiac disease, 4% had Ig-A endomysium antibodies, which may reflect a silent celiac disease.