Coxsackie B4 virus is a
virus which can trigger an
autoimmune reaction which results in destruction of the
insulin-producing
beta cells of the
pancreas, which is one of several different etiologies of
diabetes mellitus.An absolute deficiency of insulin renders the person a
type 1 diabetic. There are several viruses in the
Coxsackie family and many of them seem to evoke this response, as do several other agents. A genetic predisposition appears to be important, such that individuals with
HLA types DR3 and DR4 predominate in the affected population.
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