[Fetal virus infection a risk factor of diabetes mellitus type 1 in children]

The incidence of type-1 diabetes mellitus is high and increasing in Sweden. The etiology of IDDM is complex: several genes appear to interact with each other and with various nongenetic risk factors to induce and complete the autoimmune destruction of beta-cells. IDDM has its onset most often in childhood, and during the past decade incidence is increasing specifically among children under the age of five. Factors initiating the process should thus be sought in early life. A number of recent studies have identified perinatal events as risk determinants; among these, fetal viral infections may be causally related to the disease and may become targets for intervention and prevention.