Family history and genetics are important, but they don’t determine whether an endoscopic biopsy should occur. They merely help you determine whether you’re in an at-risk group, or not. Read our “Diagnosis of Celiac Disease” Factsheet to learn more.
(Updated .)Keyword: genetics
Are there autoimmune disease genes different from those that make you at risk for celiac disease?
Yes, some autoimmune disease genes are common, but not all. You can have an autoimmune condition, but if you lack HLA-DQ2 or DQ8 then it is highly unlikely that you will ever have celiac disease.
(Updated .)If my child has both genes for celiac disease, but I only have one of them, does that mean the other gene came from the other parent?
The genes for celiac disease are not dominant and recessive. A person can have DQ2, DQ8 or both, and still be at risk for the disease. Genes are either passed from parents to child or not. If a child has both genes and a particular parent only has one, then the other gene must have… Read more »
(Updated .)How many people in the United States have celiac disease?
About 1/3 of the U.S. population carry the genes for celiac disease, but only about 5% of those with the genes will eventually develop the disease.
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