Open AccessAn infectious aetiology of insulin‐dependent diabetes mellitus? Role of the secretor status
Author(s) -
Patrick Alan W.,
Collier Andrew
Publication year - 1989
Publication title -
fems microbiology letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.899
H-Index - 151
eISSN - 1574-6968
pISSN - 0378-1097
DOI - 10.1111/j.1574-6968.1989.tb02430.x
Subject(s) - diabetes mellitus , etiology , human leukocyte antigen , context (archaeology) , immunology , insulin , medicine , epidemiology , genetic predisposition , biology , disease , endocrinology , antigen , paleontology
Studies of patients with insulin‐dependent diabetes and their families have shown increased incidences of HLA markers B8, B15, DR3 and DR4. While these genetic predispositions are obviously important, additional factors such as environmental influences are presumed to trigger the events leading to the development of diabetes. Infectious triggers, in particular several viruses, have been suggested. The evidence from epidemiological and in vitro studies for a viral aetiology is summarized here. The significance of the recent finding of an increased proportion of non‐secretors among patients with insulin‐dependent diabetes is discussed in the context of other ‘autoimmune’ diseases for which infectious aetiologies have been proposed.