No ljungan virus RNA in stool samples from the norwegian environmental triggers of type 1 diabetes (MIDIA) cohort study

Abstract

OBJECTIVE - Ljungan virus (LjV) has been proposed as a potential environmental factor for type 1 diabetes. The objective was to test for any association of LjV with type 1 diabetes. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS - A nested case-control design was used to test for any association between the development of pre-diabetic autoimmunity and presence of LjV in stool samples (n = 3,803) in the Norwegian Environmental Triggers of Type 1 Diabetes (MIDIA) study. The children followed were 27 infants who developed pre-diabetic autoimmunity during or shortly after the sampling period, 54 matched control subjects, and 94 other children. RESULTS - No LjV RNA was detected. CONCLUSIONS - The results indicate that LjV is rare in young children. LjV does not seem to be involved in the development of human type 1 diabetes. © 2010 by the American Diabetes Association.