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

2 recent scientific publications have now shown that a rotavirus protein 
may be linked to celiac disease through a molecular mimicry mechanism and 
that the risk of developing celiac disease appears to increase in children 
in relation to the number of rotavirus infections.  What does this mean?  
Does rotavirus cause celiac disease?

Research has not yet determined the exact role of rotavirus in celiac 
disease.  Researchers found, in active celiac disease, a subset of anti-
tTG IgA antibodies recognize the rotavirus protein, VP-7.  This means, in 
celiacs, that the immune system appears to respond to the rotavirus 
protein the same as it would to a gluten peptide.  Hence, a rotavirus 
infection might, in part, look just like a large dose of ingested gluten 
in individuals predisposed to celiac disease.  

In the study, children genetically susceptible to celiac disease seemed to 
develop celiac disease in greater numbers after experiencing rotavirus 
infections than did those children who did not have rotavirus infections.  
Note that children NOT experiencing a rotavirus infection STILL developed 
celiac disease.  Hence, some OTHER mechanism must be the actual CAUSE of 
celiac disease, NOT rotavirus.  The fact is, the study does NOT show 
whether the children having rotavirus infections would have eventually 
developed celiac disease if they were NOT infected with rotavirus (and no 
study would be able to do so.)  The study followed the children from 
infancy.  The study needs to follow the children for many more years to 
see if the risk rates of children developing celiac disease who experience 
or do not experience rotavirus infections eventually match.  This would 
eliminate rotavirus as a significant risk factor.

Think of it this way.  If instead of experiencing rotavirus infection, 
some children were fed large quantities of gluten and some children were 
fed small amounts of gluten, wouldn't it be expected that children fed 
MORE gluten would be more likely to develop celiac disease SOONER than the 
children receiving LESS gluten?  Now, due to molecular mimicry, think of a 
rotavirus infection as being a large daily feeding of gluten.  Hence, 
children experiencing rotavirus infections would be more likely to develop 
celiac disease SOONER than those children who are uninfected.  Eventually, 
ALL children who would have developed celiac disease, sooner or later, 
would develop the disease.

Could rotavirus infection as an adult trigger celiac disease?  Not 
likely.  Though symptoms and diagnosis of celiac disease may come late in 
life, it has been shown celiac disease begins in early childhood.  The 
prevalence of celiac disease in studies of children is the same as the 
prevalence of celiac disease in adults and does not increase with age.

What is Rotavirus?  See:
< http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~mow/chap33.html >

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