Researchers may be nearing information on the cause of childhood type 1 diabetes.
Researchers have been working for decades to find a cause for diabetes in children to no avail, but according to a recent article in SVD.se, the answer could be forthcoming.
An international study that included Swedish researchers may be on the verge of yielding fruit as to the causes of type 1 diabetes. Professor Ake Lernmark from Lund University believes the end result of the study could be a vaccine that virtually eradicates type 1 diabetes in children.
One of the main theories that has scientists excited is the revelation that children who develop type 1 diabetes often produce autoantibodies that attack the cells which produce insulin. Most children who develop these autoantibodies show signs of illness about six months before they are detectable. The crux of the remaining research surrounds finding out whether this illness and these destructive autoantibodies are caused by a virus or bacteria.
Swedish researchers are particularly interested in the results of this study since Sweden has the second highest rate of type 1 diabetes diagnosed with children. Lernmark believes researchers may have actionable results from the study by this summer and will be able to develop a vaccine over the coming years.