
March 10, 2003
Research: Causes and Prevention
Question from Northampton, United Kingdom:
My 16 year old son was just diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, and he’s shown increasing symptoms since Christmas. A few weeks before Christmas, we used a strong pesticide on household carpets to kill domestic fleas. Could this have triggered his diabetes?
Answer:
I think this is extremely unlikely. The only related link that I know is between the rodenticide ‘Vacor’ and diabetes.
KJR
[Editor’s comment: Vacor is a rodenticide (rat poison). It is my understanding from reviews on the Internet that it was released in 1975 but withdrawn as a general-use pesticide in 1979 because of severe toxicity. Exposure produces destruction of the beta cells of the pancreas, causing diabetes mellitus in survivors. See Drug-induced diabetes at PubMed.
WWQ]