Rotavirus vaccination thought to protect against type 1 diabetes in kids

Figures acquired from Australia on rotavirus vaccination reveal that cases of type I diabetes are decreased in children who have been vaccinated. Potential reasoning for this was found when Kristen Perrett and her team at Murdoch Children's Research Institute wrote a link between rotavirus infection and type I diabetes. In their research on mice, it was observed that viral infection triggered pancreatic apoptosis (cell death). Cellular apoptosis is a naturally occurring process but at abnormally high levels can have detrimental effects. 

Perrett and her team conducted their study on children who did not receive a rotavirus vaccine (prior to 2007 when the vaccine was introduced as a routine vaccine for children in Australia) and on a group of children who did receive the vaccine (after 2007). Results were that in children ages 0-4, type I diabetes cases were decreased by 14% among children who received the vaccine. 

While this is all very interesting, there are two major issues with this study as it stands. The first is that the long term effects have not been tracked. The two study groups are of very different ages and so the results that may change as the populations age cannot yet be compared. Secondly, there are many other factors that could be at play here, and the mouse study showed that infection can cause pancreatic complications, not that the vaccine prevents it. We are also missing figures on how many children normally get a rotavirus infection. 

Renata Starbird

https://www.healio.com/pediatrics/endocrinology/news/online/%7B99df92e4-380d-47f0-a8c8-172c1fd19555%7D/rotavirus-vaccination-protects-against-type-1-diabetes-in-kids