<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>>

Scientific Breakthrough: Finger-Stick Test for the Laboratory Analysis of
Celiac Disease

Hollywood, Florida USA: cdSCAN, the latest innovation in the screening for
Celiac Disease (CD), has been developed by York Nutritional Laboratories.
With only 1 out of 80 of the projected 1 million individuals in this
country afflicted with full-blown CD being properly diagnosed, it is
anticipated this laboratory advancement, which does not require a blood
draw, will be the key for the early, accurate and cost-effective
identification of this potentially life-threatening condition.

In addition to the 1 million sufferers of classical Celiac Disease, there
is an equal number of individuals with silent or latent Celiac Disease who
are unaware of their condition because they do not have the signs and
symptoms typically associated with CD.  These individuals run the risk of
developing full-blown CD later in life and complications such as bowel
cancer, infertility and autoimmune diseases, making proper early diagnosis
very important.

"I am not aware of any other laboratory test available in the United States
that aids in the diagnosis of Celiac Disease, which is this convenient and
reliable and is able to be done inexpensively in either a medical facility
or the comfort of one's home,” says John Kernohan, Director of York
Nutritional Laboratories, Inc.

Using a unique specimen collection kit, both medical professionals and
patients alike can simply prick the end of the finger to collect a tiny
sample of blood required for testing.  "The specimen is conveniently sent
to our laboratory in a provided return mailer.  An analysis known as an IgA
Tissue Transglutaminase (tTG) Autoantibody Assay is then performed, and
within 10 days the test results and support materials are shipped directly
to either the ordering physician or the patient,” explains Martha Gonzalez,
York Nutritional Laboratories' Operations Manager.  “This entire non-
invasive process is far less expensive and much more convenient than the
intestinal biopsy procedure used in the past.”

Allergy expert, author and nutritionist, Melissa Diane Smith, Dipl., Nutr.,
originally announced the cdSCAN in her current best selling book "Going
Against The Grain" (Contemporary Books, 2002).  She comments, “By
eliminating the need for a blood draw, while at the same time utilizing the
highly accurate tTG ELISA method, the cdSCAN represents an advancement in
the screening for Celiac Disease that other labs will probably be
scrambling to duplicate.

"This is especially great news for the consumer,” Smith adds.  “It is now
extremely simple and convenient to test for an under-diagnosed condition
that can lead to far-reaching, insidious health complications.”

BACKGROUND NOTES:

* York Nutritional Laboratories has been a pioneer in the arenas of
immunology, food allergy, diet and nutrition and has carried out tens of
thousands of tests for patients throughout the world for over 18 years.

* The laboratory first came to international attention with its development
of the foodSCAN - a simple "pin-prick" kit that allows one to be tested for
IgG-mediated food intolerance against 113 foods (including gluten).

* The analysis of the cdSCAN uses the proven ELISA (Enzyme Linked
Immunosorbent Assay) technique, which works by measuring levels of IgA
antibodies to tissue transglutaminase in a person’s blood.  A detected
increase in the antibody indicates the probability of Celiac Disease.

* Celiac Disease is a genetic disorder affecting children and adults.
People with CD are unable to eat foods that contain gluten, which is found
in wheat and other grains. In people with CD, gluten sets off an autoimmune
reaction that causes the destruction of the villi in the small intestine.
People with CD produce antibodies that attack the intestine, causing damage
and illness.

* Symptoms of Celiac Disease include diarrhea, weight loss, abdominal pain,
chronic fatigue, weakness, malnutrition, and other gastrointestinal
problems.  In children, the symptoms may include failure to thrive,
irritability, inability to concentrate, diarrhea and bloating.  Further,
people affected by CD may experience extra intestinal symptoms that involve
many systems and organs including bones (osteoporosis, arthritis, and joint
pain), blood (anemia and bleeding), reproductive system (infertility and
reoccurring miscarriages), nervous system (chronic fatigue syndrome,
depression, dementia), and behavioral changes.  However, some people who
have a “silent” form of the disease have no obvious symptoms or only
experience vague symptoms such as fatigue.

* Nearly one out of every 150 Americans suffer from Celiac Disease,
according to a study by the University of Maryland Center for Celiac
Research.  The research indicates that CD is twice as common as Crohn's
Disease, ulcerative colitis and cystic fibrosis combined.

* Untreated Celiac Disease can be life threatening.  Celiacs are more
likely to be afflicted with problems relating to malabsorption, including
osteoporosis, tooth enamel defects, central and peripheral nervous system
disease, pancreatic disease, internal hemorrhaging, organ disorders (gall
bladder, liver, and spleen), and gynecological disorders.  Untreated CD has
also been linked to an increased risk of certain types of cancer,
especially intestinal lymphoma.

For more information on the cdSCAN, Celiac Disease or the foodSCAN IgG
ELISA Food Intolerance Test, please contact York Nutritional Laboratories
at 1-888-751-3388, [log in to unmask] or www.yorkallergyusa.com.

*Support summarization of posts, reply to the SENDER not the CELIAC List*