Celiac disease in Afghanistan: prevalence of an existing but unknown disease to Afghans

Background/Aims: Celiac disease (CD) is an autoimmune disease triggered by gluten ingestion, leading to small intestine inflammation and villous atrophy. The estimated pooled global seroprevalence of celiac disease (CD) is 1.4%, with women being more affected than men. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of celiac disease (CD) among the Afghan population. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study aimed to assess the prevalence of celiac disease (CD) in patients referred to the Human Medical Laboratory for a tissue transglutaminase antibody test. Five hundred and eighteen patients of different ages were studied for celiac disease (CD) using the ELISA method. Results: 518 cases were studied. 327 were male and 191 were female. 191 were positive, of which 103 were male, 88 were female, 173 were children, and 18 were adults. Conclusions: In Afghanistan, celiac disease (CD) is more common in women than in men, and it affects children more often than adults. These findings emphasize the need for awareness, screening, and tailored diagnostic guidelines for the Afghan population.