Helping Type 1 Diabetics Go All Day and Night. An associated community network group of Diabetes Australia - Victoria

"The incidence of type 1 diabetes is increasing rapidly worldwide, and it is also presenting at an earlier age. Genetically engineered human insulins have improved care of type 1 diabetes, and devices for continuous glucose monitoring may revolutionise care. An interplay between genetic susceptibility and environmental factors (triggering or suppressive) may account for the pathogenesis of type 1 diabetes. Many associations with various environmental triggers have been found in type 1 diabetes, but so far only congenital rubella syndrome has been conclusively associated with the disease. The expression of diabetes related autoantibodies in young children monitored from birth indicates that these markers are a major risk factor for the future development of type 1 diabetes. No treatment has been shown to safely prevent type 1 diabetes in humans, although islet transplantation and new immunosuppressive regimens show that the disease can be cured."

( Devasenan Devendra, Edwin Liu, George S Eisenbarth, Type 1 diabetes: recent developments, BMJ 2004;328;750-754)