Enteroviruses and type 1 diabetes

Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease of the endocrine pancreas that results in impairment of insulin producing pancreatic β cells. Inflammation of the pancreas correlates with the onset of symptoms, and susceptibility to the disease is influenced by genetic factors⇓.1

The incidence rate of type 1 diabetes has increased over the past 25 years at an annual rate of 3%, but this cannot be explained only by genetic modifications in the population. It has therefore been suggested that environmental factors—such as drugs; toxins; nutrients (for example, cows’ milk); and viruses like rotaviruses, adenoviruses, retroviruses, reoviruses, cytomegalovirus, Epstein-Barr virus, mumps virus, or rubella virus—can play a role in the pathogenesis of the disease. Viruses of the enterovirus genus, which have an RNA genome, are the most likely candidates, especially serotypes like coxsackie B virus belonging to the …