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March 10, 2003

Research: Causes and Prevention

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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:

From: DTeam Staff

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 It is my understanding from reviews on the Internet that it was released in 1975 but withdrawn as a general-use pesticide in 1979 because of severe toxicity.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]