Children help reveal infectious diabetes trigger

Comparing cases of Type 1 diabetes in North East children with those of flu, the researchers found similar distribution patterns. This suggests that like flu or chicken pox, type 1 diabetes may in part be infectious and display similar "mini-epidemics".
Over a six year cycle, they found that cases not only varied in frequency but also peaked at certain times of the year. This pattern, of both short and long-term cycles, could be caused by an infection carried by a wild animal, which then triggers diabetes Type 1 in those already genetically predisposed to the disease.

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