coeliac disease

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coeliac disease n. a condition in which the small intestine fails to digest and absorb food. It is due to a permanent sensitivity of the intestinal lining to the protein gliadin, which is contained in gluten in the germ of wheat and rye and causes atrophy of the digestive and absorptive cells of the intestine. Symptoms, which include stunted growth, distended abdomen, and pale frothy foul-smelling stools, abate with a gluten-free diet. Medical name: gluten enteropathy.
www.coeliac.co.uk Website of Coeliac UK

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