Diabetes is a lifelong ailment that occurs when the body fails to produce sufficient insulin, but the cause varies between different types of diabetes. Type one diabetes is an autoimmune disease where the immune system targets and destroys the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas.
Unlike type two diabetes, it cannot be prevented and the exact reason for this overreaction from the immune system remains a mystery. However, according to Diabetes UK, increasing evidence suggests that four viruses could be the environmental factor triggering these immune cells, potentially initiating or accelerating type one diabetes.
Enteroviruses are a common group of viruses causing respiratory infections primarily in children and teenagers. While usually resulting in mild infections, in certain individuals, such as newborns, it can lead to sepsis, meningitis or myocarditis on rare occasions.
One study tracking children with a family history of type one diabetes found that those with long-lasting enterovirus infections had a higher risk of developing the condition. Other research has previously discovered traces of the viruses in pancreas samples taken from people yet to show symptoms of type one diabetes, those newly diagnosed, and others who had been diagnosed years earlier.
Rotavirus, a common gut virus, affects nearly every child at least once before they turn five, according to the NHS. Some children may even contract it twice, but infections are less common in adulthood.
A US study of over 1.4 million children found that those vaccinated against rotavirus had a 33% lower risk of type one diabetes compared to unvaccinated children. However, studies from other countries have shown varying results.
The Covid-19 pandemic has seen a rise in type one diabetes cases in children. Early lab studies suggest the virus might directly damage the pancreas, but evidence is still mixed and evolving.
Epstein-Barr Virus, one of the nine types of human herpesvirus, typically causes glandular fever and is most common in people aged 15 to 24. Most people will have contracted Epstein-Barr Virus by adulthood, but many may not realise they’ve had it, according to the NHS.
Studies suggest it could trigger immune cells to become overactive, potentially leading to an attack on insulin-producing cells. However, there’s no solid evidence that it directly causes type one diabetes.
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