ABSTRACT
W hile genetic studies of Type 1 diabetes has branded it as an autoimmune disease involving mostly CD4 and CD 8 T cells destroying pancreatic 3 cells, it is anticipated that the genetic alone does not account for the variance in incidence and severity of Type 1 diabetes. Significant evidence exists in support of the critical role of environmental factors in its development. Studies indicate that only 13-33% of monozygotic twins are pair wise concordant for the disease, which suggests that differential exposure to putative environmental factors may influence the progression of the disease. Several exogenous factors have been studied, and the most promising of these factors are summarized below.
