Virus-induced diabetes mellitus. II. Relationship between beta cell damage and hyperglycemia in mice infected with encephalomyocarditis virus.

Infection of DBA 2 male mice with the M variant of encephalomyocarditis virus resulted in a diabetes-like syndrome. Histologic examination of the pancreas revealed damage to the beta cells with little involvement of the acinar cells. The severity of the hyperglycemia correlated closely with the degree of beta cell damage. By immunofluorescence, viral antigens could be detected in the beta cells during the first 10 days of the infection. In contrast to the response found in male DBA 2 mice, infection of DBA 2 female mice and male mice of several other strains resulted in little if any elevation of blood glucose concentration. Histologic examination of the pancreas of these animals revealed only minimal damage to the beta cells. It is concluded that differences in the severity of the hyperglycemia between DBA 2 males and females and among the different strains of male mice tested are directly related to the degree of beta cell damage produced by the viral infection.