Type 1 diabetes and Coxsackie virus infection

The role played by viruses in the aetiopathogenesis of type 1 diabetes mellitus has been studied by several authors; in particular the importance of Coxsackie virus B4 infection has been stated by some authors and not confirmed by others. 43 diabetic children were studied at the time of the diagnosis of the disease. No viruses could be isolated from stools; the titres of anti-Coxsackie viruses B1 to 6 complement fixing antibodies and anti-Coxsackie virus B4 neutralizing antibodies, compared to controls, indicated that Coxsackie virus infection was not associated with the onset of diabetes in these children. A cross-reaction with anti-Coxsackie viruses sera and a human pancreas demonstrated that there are not antigens in common between these viruses and the human pancreas.