Abstract

Background: Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) is a chronic autoimmune illness that causes severe insulin shortage and hyperglycemia. Pancreatic cells may be destroyed by enteroviral (EV) infection either directly or by inducing an inflammatory response in the pancreatic islets that brings autoreactive T lymphocytes to the site of inflammation.

Aim of study: investigate whether coxsackievirus group B (CVB) strains are associated with the onset of islet autoimmunity and T1DM.

Objective: Serum samples were collected from newly diagnosed patients of type 1 diabetes mellitus who were attending the endocrinology centers at Al-Mawani general hospital and Al-Fayhaa teaching hospital from October 2022 to May 2023. A total of 168 children of both sexes, comprising 86 (51.1%) patients as a patient group.

Results and discussion: Showed that there were no significant differences (p≤ 0.871) between patients and control according to age range however, the results showed elevated IgM titers in patients (15.14±2.43) in comparison with the control (8.66±1.56) with highly significant differences (p< 0.000). The age group (11-17) had the highest percentage (57.58%) of positive CVB-IgM patients which was 19 children of the total 33 infected children, while other age groups had 7 patients each (21.21%).
 

Conclusion: Females were significantly more susceptible to T1DM than males. The age group (11-17) significantly more susceptible to T1DM than other age groups. Serological methods were more favorable than molecular methods in diagnosing the Coxsackievirus B. Elevated titers of IgG or IgM in patients in comparison with the control.