Researchers say that a common cold virus may be responsible for triggering Type 1 diabetes in children already at risk for the disease, according to a recent article from WebMD. This form of the disease impacts 1 out of every 400 children in the United States.
The researchers analyzed the findings of 26 studies and concluded that children with Type 1 diabetes are nearly ten times more likely to show signs of enterovirus infection than those without the disease. Children with prediabetes are three times more likely to have the virus than those without diabetes.
The exact cause of Type 1 diabetes is not yet known, but most scientists have suspected a combination of genetics, environmental factors and an individual’s immune system play a role in onset of the disease. If this research proves correct, it could give credence to the “hygiene hypothesis,” a theory that suggests the rise in Type 1 diabetes is due to improved societal hygiene. The theory claims that in the past, when hygiene wasn’t as good as it is today, mothers passed more protective antibodies to their babies. With fewer antibodies, children are more susceptible to developing Type 1 diabetes.
Some previous studies have found a link between diabetes and the enterovirus, while other studies have failed to establish the connection. However, researchers say the findings of this new study show a clear association between the virus and the disease. Researchers for the recent analysis suggest the virus may have been present in those who tested negative for the virus in the past, but it may have avoided detection because the infection was at such a low level.
Researchers say the next step is to identify the specific enterovirus that is present in kids with Type 1 diabetes in the hopes of developing a vaccine for the disease. Researchers also noted it is important to figure out whether the virus is associated with all cases of Type 1 diabetes or just some of the cases.
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