On the Mechanisms of the Protective Effect of Infections on Type 1 Diabetes

The incidence of type 1 diabetes (T1D) shows a worrying tendency for a steady increase in Western countries. Along the line of the hygiene hypothesis, evidence accumulates to suggest that this increase is explained by the decrease of infections due to improved hygiene and medical care. This article presents a review of epidemiological data and of the main putative underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms.