|
Viruses
may cause diabetes: Study
Common viruses that cause vomiting and diarrhea may
trigger many cases of diabetes, according to British
researchers, who said their findings raise the possibility
of a vaccine.
They found evidence of enteroviruses in the insulin-producing
pancreatic cells of 60 percent of children with type
1 diabetes and of 40 percent of adults with type 2 diabetes,
BBC News reported.
The study was published in the journal Diabetologia.
It’s known that genetics play a major role in diabetes
risk, but the idea of a viral cause of diabetes has
been considered for decades, BBC News reported.
Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease. In children
with a genetic predisposition to this form of diabetes,
enterovirus infection may trigger the immune reaction
that results in the disease, the researchers suggested.
Type 2 diabetes is often linked to obesity in adults.
Enterovirus infection may harm the ability of beta cells
in the pancreas to produce insulin. The researchers
said this, in combination with the greater demand for
insulin in obese people, may trigger diabetes, BBC News
reported.
|
