Link between Covid and onset of type 1 diabetes in children

[MotherOfDragonite]

Were you aware of this? I've just found out today.

This is a press release about the research, which sums up the key points: www.imperial.ac.uk/news/201473/covid-19-linked-increase-type-diabetes-children/

And here is the research itself: care.diabetesjournals.org/content/early/2020/08/13/dc20-1551

I've long had a theory that at least some T1Diabetes was caused by a virus.

Hand foot and mouth also causes t1 diabetes.
Covid can also cause thyrpiditis

Interesting that the hypothesis is it is actually the virus itself destroying the insulin producing cells in the pancreas and it’s not an autoimmune reaction caused by the body’s reaction to a virus or trauma, and that the children were more likely to be in DKA than they’d normally expect at presentation.

I wonder if there will also be a rise in adults? Adult onset T1 is often slower than in children. It’s not uncommon for people get mis-diagnosed as T2.

It's a shame that the article doesn't say if either or both of the children's parents had T1 diabetes. It has a genetic element and tends to present younger in successive generations. It seems likely that an 'insult' to the body, such as an infection, might trigger the onset in a prone individual.

My dh's family is rife with type 1.
Without exception all have triggered in childhood/adolescence by a virus.

T1 is common in my family, and always seems to be triggered by a virus of some sort.

My dh developed type 1 in his early 20's and understand it to be brought on following a virus. He had glandular fever in his teens and has lived with autoimmune issues ever since. He now has crohns and thyroid problems as well as diabetes.

The current thinking is that type 1 is virus triggered. It stands to reason covid will do the same. Anecdotally, the Facebook support groups we belong to are full to bursting with new members at the moment. What researchers will need to work on is whether or not covid has just brought forwards the diagnosis of people who would have ended up with the condition at some point or whether it has caused more type 1 - it is believed people have a predisposition to developing th condition but I wonder if covid will show something different.

@Isthatitnow

The current thinking is that type 1 is virus triggered. It stands to reason covid will do the same. Anecdotally, the Facebook support groups we belong to are full to bursting with new members at the moment. What researchers will need to work on is whether or not covid has just brought forwards the diagnosis of people who would have ended up with the condition at some point or whether it has caused more type 1 - it is believed people have a predisposition to developing th condition but I wonder if covid will show something different.

It is so concerning as it is such a highly contagious airborne infection. With glandular fever, chicken pox etc for example I understand close contact is required to spread. Would those predisposed to developing type 1 now be at a much greater risk due to their chances of being exposed to covid? Sorry I'm rambling but just thinking how many may now develop type 1 who would otherwise have been lucky enough before not to.

DH’s cousin developed T1 after having a virus. There was a family history of it too, so don’t know whether that makes it more likely to be triggered by a virus.

It's possible. There are theories that viruses could trigger T1 diabetes in some cases.

On the other hand, it's also suspected that very hygienic environments and vitamin D deficiency can trigger Type 1 diabetes.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2635941/
www.euronews.com/2012/01/11/over-hygienic-parents-could-be-cause-of-diabetes