Infection by multiple viruses and lymphocyte abnormalities at the diagnosis of diabetes.

Evidence for an ongoing adenovirus infection and preceding EB and Coxsackie B virus infections was found in a 2-year-old boy at the diagnosis of insulin-dependent diabetes. An inverted T-helper/T-suppressor lymphocyte ratio and activation of T cells with a suppressor-cytotoxic phenotype were detected. A combination of multiple viral infections may be responsible for the rapid destruction of pancreatic beta cells in this case.