Virus may be cause of diabetes in some

March 6, 2009 That's the theory being tested by several UK researchers at the Peninsula Medical School and the University of Brighton.

Signs of a virus were found in pancreatic tissue from 60 percent of children with type 1 diabetes. In healthy children that same virus was not present.

Although genetics is known to play a fairly substantial role in a person's risk of developing diabetes, the idea of a viral cause has been considered for decades.

Researchers hope their discovery will open the door for the development of a diabetes vaccine.