Intolerance of gluten containing cereals (wheat, rye, and barley) is an etiopathogenetically heterogeneous
and relatively common problem of modern man. It occurs as an adverse immune-mediated condition
in genetically predisposed individuals. According to the pathogenetic mechanism of intolerance to the
components of these cereals, it is classified into celiac disease as an autoimmune disease, wheat allergy
as an allergic disease, and non-celiac gluten sensitivity as a non-autoimmune and non-allergic disease.
Each of these disorders is characterized by specific intestinal and/or extraintestinal manifestations, which
resolve on a gluten-free diet. This review article presents the basic characteristics of these disorders in
accordance with modern knowledge.
