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Bad flu season believed to be related to sharp rise in diabetes in kids

A sharp increase in the diagnosis of type 1 diabetes was seen in a recent flu season. But the question lies if the diabetes spike is actually triggered by the flu. Influenza may be the last straw for kids with compromised insulin production systems.

Type 1 diabetes occurs when the body’s immune system impairs the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas. It usually develops during childhood. Leaving diabetes untreated can make blood glucose and ketone levels go uncontrolled. This may even lead to ketoacidosis, which in turn can result in a coma.

Every year, the number of children diagnosed with diabetes is generally high in the winter. Life-threatening ketoacidosis are rare. The current year showed a doubled incidence of type 1 diabetes with a rise in ketoacidosis cases, almost like a mini-epidemic.

However, the severity of cases may be more because some parents and doctors may assume the symptoms as that of flu and not diabetes. One should look out for symptoms like:

• Increased thirst
• Frequent urination
• Weight loss.

The actual cause of type 1 diabetes is still unknown. Environmental factors including virus may play a role in triggering type 1diabetes in genetically-susceptible people.

Some viruses such as enteroviruses, a gut immune attacking virus, may trigger type 1 diabetes. Influenza A is not known to trigger type 1 diabetes so far.

Repeated exposure to such viruses and other environmental factors over years may activate the autoimmune reaction. Each episode lowers the number of cells producing cells until a very less are left and children ultimately succumb to type 1 diabetes.

90% of the insulin producing cells needs to be destroyed for diabetes to develop. Probably the flu acts as the final setback in children who are diagnosed.

Virus and environmental agents playing a role in activating insulin resistance is also a possibility.

A whole range of other environmental factors that could affect the immune system needed to be looked into as possible causative factors. Some hypothesis include role of cows’ milk and excessive cleanliness leading to an over-functioning immune system that attacks the body’s own tissue.