Background: The prevalence of celiac disease is common in Iran. The aim of the present study was to determine the prevalence of celiac disease in apparently healthy blood donors of Sistan and Balouchestan Province, southeastern Iran.
Methods: Serum samples of 1600 consecutive apparently healthy blood donors at Zahedan Blood Donation Center were assayed for anti-tissue transglutaminase (tTG) antibody. The levels of IgG antibodies against tTG were screened for all subjects with IgA deficiency. All subjects with positive anti-tTG IgA or IgG were offered upper gastrointestinal endoscopy and duodenal mucosal biopsies.
Results: IgA deficiency was found in 28:1600 (1.8%) of the subjects, among whom 4 cases were positive for IgG-class tTG antibody. Meanwhile, 10 blood donors were positive for anti-tTG IgA antibody. With the exception of 2 subjects who had normal small bowel biopsies, the remainder of the subjects' biopsy findings were compatible with celiac disease. The prevalence of celiac disease was found to be 0.88% (1/114) based on tTGA positivity.
Conclusion: The prevalence of celiac disease among the southeastern Iranian population is high and comparable with other parts of Iran as well as many other countries.