Newborn Screening for Genetic Susceptibility to Type 1 Diabetes and Celiac Disease and Prospective Follow-up Study

This is an observational study, in which newborn infants from the general population are screened at birth for HLA-conferred susceptibility to type 1 diabetes and celiac disease. The participants carrying genetic susceptibility to type 1 diabetes (approximately 9.5%) will be analyzed for diabetes-associated autoantibodies at the age of 1, 2 and 3 years, while those predisposed to celiac disease (about 14%) will be screened for tissue transglutaminase antibodies at the age of 1 and 3 years. The intention is to screen annually 10,400 newborn infants for a period of 3 years. About 988 infants are each year identified as a child at risk for type 1 diabetes, and it is expected that around 80% of the families with such a child are willing to join the autoantibody screening. Approximately 1456 infants are each year recognized as a child at risk for celiac disease, and again the expectation is that 80% of the families will join the antibody screening program.