Diagnosing celiac disease might soon become significantly easier. A team from Australia’s Walter and Eliza Hall Institute has developed a simple IL-2-based blood test that can accurately detect celiac disease—even in patients already following a gluten-free diet.
In the study, patients’ blood was exposed to gluten in vitro (in a test tube), triggering an immune response if gluten-specific T-cells were present. The WBAIL-2 assay showed 90% sensitivity and 95% specificity in HLA-DQ2.5+ patients, eliminating the need for patients to undergo weeks of gluten consumption or invasive biopsies.
Experts like Dr. Christopher Cao from Mount Sinai call it “practice-changing,” though they note further validation is needed for broader adoption.