Enteroviruses and type 1 diabetes mellitus

Despite decades of research, the etiology of type 1 diabetes mellitus (DM) is unknown. Several risk factors have been associated with type 1 DM, including viral infections, genetic predisposition, nutritional factors, and chemicals. Several investigators hypothesize that the etiologies of type 1 DM result from a complex interaction of genetic and environmental factors. In this paper we review the epidemiologic data linking enteroviruses to type 1 DM and discuss potential mechanisms of pathogenesis.