Objective Describe the epidemiological profile of coeliac disease symptomatic one of childhood and to determine the evolution of incidence in the wilaya of Oran, Algeria.

Subjects and Methods Retrospective analysis carried out on all coeliac patients indexed in the service of paediatry “C”, CHU Oran, from 1975 to 31 December 2007. The incidence was expressed for 1000 alive births. For the calculation of prevalence, all live children treated for coeliac disease were retained, residing in the wilaya of Oran and less than 15 years of age at 31 December 2007.

Results From 1975 to 31 December 2007, we indexed 4222 coeliac patients (2264 girls and 1958 boys, the sex ratio was 1.15). 60% originated in the wilaya of Oran. The median age at diagnosis was 3.6 years. The median age to the introduction of gluten was 5 months and that of the duration of breastfeeding was 3 months. The average annual incidence of coeliac disease on the level of the wilaya of Oran, from 1 January 1978 to 31 December 2006, expressed for 1000 alive births, was 2.37 ± 1.3 per 1000 live births. The prevalence to 31 December 2007 was 109 per 100 000 children less than 15 years.

Conclusion Our study has shown a significant fall in the average annual incidence of the symptomatic form of coeliac disease for 10 years.