Endocrine Abstracts

Parvovirus (Erythrovirus) B19 (EVB19) infection may trigger autoimmune diseases like SLE, RA, and vasculitis. Parvovirus B19 belongs to the parvoviridae family and to the erythrovirus genus. The etiopathogenesis of autoimmune diabetes mellitus could not been explained yet. The aim of our study was to investigate whether EVB19 may have a role in the etiopathogenesis of type 1 DM. Therefore have we examined whether EVB19 is more frequent among type 1 diabetics. 32 patients with type 1 diabetes and 30 control patients were included in the study. 25 of the 32 type 1 diabetic patients had parvovirus B19 IgG positive sera. The seroprevalence of IgG parvovirus B19 among controls were in 16 of 30 persons. This was statistically significant (p level was 0,039). 25-OH vitamin D levels were lower among Parvovirus B19 IgG seropositive patients than higher patients. This may be related to the fact that the immune status is impaired in vitamin D insufficiency. In conclusion, parvovirus B19 infection may play a role in triggering type 1 diabetes and low vitamin D levels may increase susceptibility to parvovirus B 19 infection.