This finding is interesting because it shows a possible link between a virus (the enterovirus, which has been in the news so much recently) and type I diabetes (T1D) in children. This study, performed by researchers in Taiwan, shows that children who are infected with enterovirus are
48% more likely to develop Type I diabetes. Approximately 80 people per day are diagnosed with T1D in the U.S. alone according to the JDRF and the NIDDK. For more information on T1D, check out the
fact page from the JDRF. To read the article concerning this research, see the link below:
Study Links Enterovirus in Kids to T1D
It would not surprise me that this virus could be a possible cause for type 1 diabetes. It is mind blowing to think that something as small as an enterovirus, starting from a small RNA strand, could be the cause of a sickness. RNA is so small and humans are so big, but yet we have no control of this virus. My faith integration for this topic, sin starts out so small and if we entertain it, then it will eventual take hold of us, to the point of sickness or death. It is crazy to think that because of Adam and Eve's decision to make one bad choice that all of these viruses and sicknesses can spread throughout the world.
ReplyDeleteThis study had very interesting and unexpected findings. It is important to note that the study’s results only indicated a correlation between type 1 diabetes and enterovirus infection. Why enteroviruses cause type 1 diabetes still has to be elucidated. However, it is believed that enteroviruses cause viral proteins to be secreted by islet cells in the pancreas causing β cells autoimmunity leading to type 1 diabetes. Obtaining a better understanding of how enteroviruses affect children, especially in relation to type 1 diabetes, is dire. The multiple factors, including genetics, that play a role in the development of type 1 diabetes make it difficult to study in a controlled setting. Yet, it is becoming increasingly obvious that the rise in occurrence of type 1 diabetes cannot be explained by genetic factors alone and must have some other driving forces. The only problem I had with this study was the compounding factors associated when dealing with such large sample sizes. There is no effective way the researchers could have accurately accounted for the various lifestyles, eating habits, and daily exercise of their participants. However, the benefit of the large sample size is that the correlation observed is statistically significant indicating that enteroviruses play some role, even if it turns out to be minor, in the occurrence of type 1 diabetes in children. It will be interesting to see if broad vaccination of children against enteroviruses could reduce the incidence of type 1 diabetes.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.diabetologia-journal.org/files/Lin.pdf
http://www.medpagetoday.com/Endocrinology/Type1Diabetes/48153
As Michael noticed, it is extremely difficult to take into account all of the various factors that the children are exposed to as well as the enterovirus. I also wonder though whether there are any other viruses that we are exposed to that may have an affect on T1D, and whether they can be avoided or not, or whether the virus along with the environmental factors in individual countries are what trigger it, making it more likely that children in specific countries will have T1D after contracting the enterovirus. This research is just the beginning of something that might help scientists find a way to prevent T1D and stem the growing rates.
ReplyDeleteenterovirus is an RNA virus that occurs in the gastrointestinal tract and can possibly spread to the central nervous system and other body parts. It is quite intrguing that this virus can trigger diabetes. Host or possibly proteins helps spread these viruses and virus end up self-replicating. It is known that these three proteins help enhance this virus: heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein A1 (hnRNP A1), far-upstream element-binding protein 2 (FBP2), and FBP1 are nuclear proteins which in EV71-infected cells are relocalized to the cytoplasm, and they influence EV71 internal ribosome entry site (IRES) activity. HnRp1 stimulates the IRES activity. The proteins HnRP K and reticulon help synthesize the virus. This stimulation causes a host protein and stimulates the enterovirus. Scientist should do another study that involves these proteins and discover what is triggering this virus.
ReplyDeleteThe enterovirus is associated with several human diseases, which range from the common cold to polio. There is still so much that scientist do not understand about enteroviruses which makes it likely that this could possibly be one of the causes of type diabetes, but it is not explained in the article how the enterovirus is possibly doing this at a molecular level.
ReplyDeleteWhen they compared over 570,000 children who had an enterovirus disease to another 570,000 children who did not, I wondered how rare it is to find someone who has never had an enterovirus disease. In America, millions of people are infected with an enterovirus a year. Are the researchers limiting their studies to certain species of enteroviruses?
Type 1 diabetes is mostly associated with genetics, and eating habits so I do not believe there is enough evidence from the research to be even 50% certain that enteroviruses are one of the causes of type 1 diabetes.
I agree with Heather's point. Despite their findings, I do not see enough evidence to say enteroviruses are one of the causes of type 1 diabetes with such certainty. There are many viruses and bacteria we are exposed to daily and only those who are sneaky enough to get passed our immune system cause havoc. So, its hard to say that enterovirus alone is the cause. For all we know, it could be working in combination or along with other viruses. However, I admire the fact that they pinpointed a cause other gene related. Further research could possibly prove the theory further and even lead to other similar discoveries. This can be the starting point to discovery of many genetic diseases that are also influenced by the environment.
ReplyDeleteThis was definitely an interesting article to read. There were a few things that I observed and wondered about. It's well known that Type 1 Diabetes is an autoimmune disease that usually strikes in childhood/adolescence. This occurs when the pancreas stops producing insulin and survival of the patient is dependent on taking insulin every day.
ReplyDelete1) As I was reading the article and facts about diabetes, I saw that the cause of T1D is not fully understood, but it is hypothesized that it is genetic and environment factors. What I found interesting was that the enteroviruses mentioned had the potential to do more damage to the body. For example, Coxsackievirus B has symptoms that resemble the common "cold" but it can also lead to pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas) and meningitis. Echovirus causes nonspecific viral infections in the intestine.
I wonder if this could be the possible connection between the enterovirus and the onset of T1D. This could possibly explain some of the weird symptoms being exhibited by children in the United States who have contracted the enterovirus D68 over the past three months.
2) One problem I see with the above hypothesis is there is no direct correlation, at least scientifically. It is possible that somehow the pancreatitis could somehow trigger the immune system to attack the pancreas and block the production of beta cells. This is one area of research that should be emphasized especially if there could be a correlation. This would be especially important considering that thousands of children contract an enterovirus in the US each year. This could be a major breakthrough in science if a connection was found.
3) One of the issues that I had with the researchers was the large sample of children being observed. Like Mike mentioned earlier, how would the researchers be able to keep track of a little over 1 million children. It would be very difficult to successfully observe their habits and everyday lifestyle. Even though the onset of T1D has nothing to do with diet and lifestyle, it is an important factor in maintaining good health to fight the disease.
Also, if the researchers are looking into environmental factors, then were they only focused on a certain part of the country? Do they have any idea of possible factors that are found in their country?
4) Lastly, I'm curious to know if these children were randomly selected or if there various groups of children from the same area? The reason I ask is because a non-polio enterovirus can be spread, according to the CDC, through close contact with an infected person or touching objects with the virus on the surface. This would explain why children would have it because they would exposed to it more at school than anywhere else. I wonder if the children all came from the same school area/district and got infected because of the close proximity.
It is always interesting to find out the new advancements being made in the field of science. As always there are questions that will arise. Due to the fact that there are environmental factors that can cause T1D, is it possible that a form of treatment that is successful in Taiwan will be unclessful in other regions of the world? I would also be interested in more specific details on the study they did with the 570,00. What specific controls did they use and were all these children in Taiwan? This treatment could show great promise towards finding the treatment for T1D, but there are things that need to be worked out for the success of this treatment
ReplyDeleteWhy are they hypothesizing that it is enterovirus causing diabetes and not that T1D puts kids at a greater risk for enterovirus infections? To me, the latter seems more logical. Even if we do not know what exactly causes T1D, we do know that, in most cases, it is an autoimmune disease in which immune cells attack one's own insulin-producing cells. Any disruption in the immune system could cause potential weaknesses in other areas of immunity especially if the body is already in "attack mode" towards the pancreas. This could make fighting a real pathogen (such as enterovirus) less effective. Additionally, kids with diabetes can become malnourished more easily which could compromise immunity. Especially before diagnoses, unexplained weight loss is a common symptom which could easily leave the body more susceptible to infection. Unless they do chronological studies (looking at the children who were diagnosed with an enterovirus AND THEN diagnosed with T1D) I do not see how they can make these claims. Even then, we could hypothesize that T1D, although undiagnosed, was still compromising the child's immunity. Also, allergic rhinitis and bronchial asthma are not exactly equal comparisons; neither of these require the body to rely heavily on cell-mediated immunity. Viruses, however, do and, I assume, that since the body is attacking its own beta cells, T1D is also heavily reliant on cell-mediated immunity. This would support my counter-hypothesis that the immune system is forced to divide its resources in fighting off enterovirus and is thus, less effective. This is somewhat of an Ockam's razor principle- we should go with the hypothesis that makes the fewest assumptions. From what we already know about T1D it makes sense that it puts children at risk for viral infections. It seems like quite the logical jump to say that it is, in fact, the virus that causes T1D.
ReplyDeleteThis is an intriguing study. The discovery of a link between type-1 diabetes and previous infection by enterovirus could signal a breakthrough for diabetic research. If the researchers’ hypothesis is correct, this finding carries huge implications for prevention of type I diabetes later in life. As such an important issue, this subject should definitely be studied in further detail. For most aspects of science, a gray area exists between correlation and causation. When a link is found between two phenomena, researchers must always question whether this connection actually exists in nature or if it’s just a concoction of the human brain. Is there enough supporting evidence to show these events are interconnected? Studies like these are fascinating and certainly warrant further investigation. I’m interested to see what diabetes researchers unearth in the near future.
ReplyDeleteI am probably a little more excited than most when it comes to the topic of type 1 diabetes mellitus. With a new discovery linking the enterovirus with T1DM, new pathways can be discovered to further treatment. I find it interesting that a previous study found that the tuberculosis vaccination increased tumor necrosis factor which in turn destroys the autoimmune cells attacking the immune system. This permits regeneration of the insulin secreting cells. The reason I find this interesting is that Tb is caused by a bacterial infection, whereas the enterovirus is a virus. It just shows the complexity of this disease. With this new research, one more question is being answered and 10 more have arisen. With further research, I am sure more light will be shed on the etiology of T1DM. With greater understanding comes an increased knowledge to find a cure. No discovery is insignificant.
ReplyDelete*http://www.everydayhealth.com/type-1-diabetes/vaccine-for-treating-diabetes.aspx
This is quite interesting for the simple fact that most diabetes cases, particularly type 1, are metabolic diseases. Most diseases of this sort, like diabetes, have been thought to arise from genetic disorders that affect the metabolism, or the malfunction and/or the lack of nutrition in diet, and the abuse of it. To think that diabetes is linked to a virus would change significantly some of the scientific knowledge on how to treat it. After jumping to conclusions, it would be more logical to first asses this study. There are obvious questions that arise when I read this. Is this link just a coincidence? Only 48 % more likely? The presence of a virus would probably affect immune function, which would affect diabetics. Does the entrovirus just directly affect blood glucose levels somehow? Questions need to be asked. Alot of links can be made to diabetes, especially considering such a wide variety have it. It is also not likely that the disease is anything but a metabolic disease.
ReplyDeleteThere is another study that show that; Finland and Sweden have high rates of Type 1 diabetes, but low rates of enterovirus, suggesting genes are the main factor in the high incidence in that region. But in other places, "such as Africa, Asia, South America," the doctors said in a press release, there is "a low but increasing incidence of Type 1 diabetes and high prevalence of enterovirus infection." This suggests "environmental factors like enterovirus infection" are playing a larger role in the growing rate.
ReplyDeleteThis is a very interesting connection being made. The increased occurrence of Type 1 Diabetes in children affected with Enterovirus definitely warrants further investigation. However, as others have pointed out, correlation does not necessarily equal causation. Many, and some still unknown, factors contribute to the onset of T1D. It would have been impossible for researchers to take these factors into account while conducting this study. Still, if this finding holds true upon further investigation, scientists may be able to track down the pathway the virus takes in the body to cause T1D. If this is found, better treatment options may be produced. Although, I also think that Kaitlyn's point is very valid as well. Maybe it is that patients with T1D have a greater chance of contracting Enterovirus rather than the other way around. It seems more likely to me that a person suffering from an autoimmune disease would be more susceptible to a viral infection than a viral infection causing an autoimmune disease.
ReplyDeleteWow, I had no idea that a virus could have any relation to T1D. It goes to show how much we know and don't know about T1D. What I know about enterovirus is very little. I did find some information about it when doing my capstone project. They are both very complex viruses causing own amount of damage in the world. This article reveals a huge need to research T1D and the outside (environmental) effects that are involved.
ReplyDeleteAlthough I do not know hardly anything about enterovirus, I find this topic interesting. There are many different diseases that even today, with our advancement of medicine and technology, and this would be an example of one. I enjoy learning about the different onsets of diseases and how they are caused, especially when we do not have much to offer on it. In this case, a virus is thought to have relation to type 1 diabetes, which is strange to think about. Viruses, though generally understood, are very complex, making it harder to understand this concept. As the article indirectly said, there still needs to be much research done in this topic of interest. I am interested to see where studies concerning enterovirus and diabetes leads to.
ReplyDeleteIt is truly interesting to learn about the findings that this article presents. Who would have thought that a virus could possibly lead to the onset of diabetes? I was previously aware of the prevalence that genetics have on type 1 diabetes, and that certain environmental factors lead to type 1 diabetes in some individuals (having met someone who this occurred to). But a virus? Well, the article and the findings do not bluntly state that the virus directly causes diabetes, but an association is enough to consider. This knowledge can be used to our advantage. Making and using vaccines that prepare the body for the “war” against an/the enterovirus would decrease the onset of type 1 diabetes in many individuals – or would at least seem so. That should definitely be something to try and test!
ReplyDeleteI truly enjoy reading about advancements in pediatric medicine mainly because I believe that if we can help keep the coming generation healthy, it is one step towards keeping society as a whole alive and well. This article was especially interesting to me because Type 1 diabetes, also called juvenile diabetes, is one of the more challenging kid diseases to deal with. Unlike Type 2 diabetes, Type 1 patients produce no insulin at all, and are consequently unable to absorb glucose or maintain an optimal sugar level without deliberate efforts from their parents or guardians including monitoring how much candy the kid eats and religiously giving them their insulin shots.
ReplyDeleteTruly, a better understanding of the correlation between enterovirus infections and juvenile diabetes could lead to a world of good for these children's lives. Nevertheless, there is much work to be done and many questions to be answered. Personally, I would like to know exactly how the virus causes diabetes. Does it damage the already genetically abnormal beta pancreatic islet cells, or fry the liver's insulin supply in another way? In addition, are enteroviruses in Taiwan a different type from those in the US or Africa? And if so, can we see a similar correlation on other continents? I would definitely be interested in learning more about this research, and where the scientists intend to go from here.
This is quite an important and significant research study as Type 1 diabetes is one of the most common chronic diseases of childhood and is on the rise worldwide. In this type of diabetes, the body does not produce insulin, a hormone that converts sugar, starches, and other food into energy for daily life. Two factors are important in how someone gets type 1 diabetes: they have certain genes that make them more likely to get diabetes, and they are exposed to something in the environment that triggers it to develop.
ReplyDeleteI am glad this research study was able to identify a correlation between enterovirus infection and Type 1 diabetes. Although the large sample size and strong correlation between the two in the study are quite convincing, the data don’t prove that viruses can trigger type 1 diabetes, Also, the study relied on diagnoses in the insurance claims and could not confirm EV infections through testing. There may have also been some miscoding of medical care, or some illnesses could have been classified incorrectly as EVs in the insurance records. By focusing on patients younger than 18 years of age, the researchers may have underestimated the true number of patients with type 1 diabetes in Taiwan. Finally, the results of this study may not apply to other regions of the world, where other genetic and environmental factors may exist.
Who would have imagined that a virus could possibly result in the development of Type 1 diabetes! Since diabetes is a very prevalent disease all over the world, follow up studies should be conducted to see if there is a direct correlation between the enterovirus and the onset of this disease. Additional research should be funded to see if there are other viruses that could potentially lead to other types of chronic diseases.
ReplyDeleteThis is a study that shows a very bright future, as it is extremely important. Type 1 diabetes is a very frequent disease all over. I would have never thought than an endovirus could be a cause of this disease. If researched further, this could potentially be a huge medical advancements for generations to come.
ReplyDelete