Impact of the birth's season on the development of celiac disease in Italy.

Abstract

our survey confirms that in Italy, children born in summer are at higher risk to develop CD than subjects born in other seasons. The identification of a responsible seasonal factor or factors, such as timing of the first introduction of gluten and/or acute viral gastrointestinal infections, would be very important for disease prevention strategies. • Environmental factors could be involved in the pathogenesis of CD. • Data about the impact of season of birth on CD development is so far derived from North American, Northern European and Israeli surveys. • This is the first study in Southern Europe to find a relationship between season of birth (summer) and development of CD. • Summer-born infants are introduced to complementary feeding (gluten) in winter, when the rotavirus infection is at its highest peak; this may be the link between season of birth and development of CD.