Islet cell antibodies and viral infections.

The sera of 127 non-diabetic children after mumps-infection were investigated for the presence of islet cell antibodies and islet cell surface antibodies. The study also included 4 children who developed diabetes mellitus shortly after an active mumps vaccination. 21 of the non-diabetic children and four of the vaccinated children exhibited islet cell cytoplasmic antibodies. Islet cell surface antibodies were observed more frequently, namely in 43 out of 68 patients studied after mumps infection and in 32 out of 44 patients studied after different viral diseases. With one exception, none of the mumps-infected children and none of the other viral infected patients developed diabetes mellitus.