Australian researchers will try to develop a therapeutic vaccine for coeliac disease after the discovery of antigens which cause the common disorder.

British researchers have identified protein components responsible for the dietary disorder which affects one per cent of the world's population.

Australian researchers hope the UK methodology can be used to identify antigens that cause other diseases including diabetes and multiple sclerosis.

Royal Melbourne Hospital gastroenterologist Robert Anderson said coeliac disease was common but often undiagnosed due to non-specific natures of symptoms such as chronic fatigue, abdominal pain and indigestion.

Dr Anderson told the Australian Gastroenterology Week conference in Adelaide that more than 90 per cent of people diagnosed with coeliac disease had a gene known as HLA-DQ2.

Initial research had revealed almost all coeliac disease sufferers react to a common set of protein sequences in gliadin, a part of the gluten protein in wheat, rye and barley.

Dr Anderson said people with coeliac disease have a permanent intolerance to gliadin and Australian researchers hoped to prove a vaccine which could desensitise or induce tolerance in people with coeliac disease.

The vaccine was likely to be administered by mouth or nasal spray, Dr Anderson said.

Melbourne dietician Sue Shepherd told the conference adopting a strict diet was currently the only way for people with the disease to prevent damage to the lining of their small intestine and associated symptoms.

"Any gluten intake will cause damage in people with coeliac disease, even if there are no obvious symptoms," Ms Shepherd said.

©AAP 2002