Do viral infections protect from or enhance type 1 diabetes and how can we tell the difference?

Virus infections have been implicated in both initiation of and protection from autoimmune diseases, such as type 1 diabetes (T1D). In this review we intend to reflect on recent evidence how viruses might on the one hand be involved in the pathogenesis of T1D and on the other hand induce a state of protection from autoimmune-mediated damage. It is important to acknowledge that human individuals encounter more than just one virus infection in their lifetime. Therefore, it is important to integrate more than just one possible environmental triggering factor for autoimmune diseases to occur.