Type IA diabetes mellitus is an autoimmune disease,the most common chronic illness of children and young adults today.T cell mediated destruction of pancreatic islet  cells is the hallmark of the disease.Both genetic and environmental factors are responsible for the induction of autoimmune reactions.Till now,20 genes or genetic regions were shown to contribute to a susceptibility to the disease development,those of the major histocompati- bility complex (HLA)and the insulin gene are of paramount importance.There is evidence that viral infections act as a triggering event of immunopathologic reactions.The immune response to a microbial determinant would cross-react with host tissues (molecular mimicry phenomenon)and eventually results in an autoimmune process. Proinflammatory cytokines and a breakdown of immune regulatory mechanisms contribute to an upregulation of the process and enable inflammatory reactions to flare.

        Key words: DM-1A,HLA-complex,T-lymphocytes,NKT cells,cytokines,viruses