Cytomegalovirus infection in early infancy: risk of induction and progression of autoimmunity associated with type 1 diabetes

Aims/hypothesis Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease resulting from a complex interplay between genetic and environmental factors. Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection is one of the environmental factors implicated in the development of type 1 diabetes, although the association remains unproven. We aimed to clarify the possible correlation between CMV infections and type 1 diabetes-associated autoimmunity at the time point of autoantibody appearance in young children with HLA-conferred disease susceptibility.