THE TIMING OF IMMUNIZATION AFFECTS THE DEVELOPMENT OF DIABETES IN RODENTS

Background: Insulin-dependant diabetes mellitus (IDDM) is an autoimmun e disease that can be altered by immune modulation, NOD mice and BE ra ts have been used as models of spontaneous IDDM. The development of di abetes in these animals has been altered by several different immune m odulators using relatively high doses for the size of the animal. The effect of pharmaceutical doses of vaccines on the development of diabe tes in these rodents has not been adequately studied. Methods: I studi ed the effect of administering killed human vaccines using low concent rations and as few as 3 doses. Results: Administration of human vaccin es to diabetic prone newborn animals starting before 2 weeks of age pr evented the development of diabetes while administration of the pertus sis vaccine starting at 8 weeks of life was associated with an increas ed incidence of diabetes. Conclusions: Animal studies have demonstrate d the timing and content of human vaccines can affect the development of diabetes. Clinical trials of new human vaccines are not designed an d generally not powered to detect an effect of immunization on the dev elopment of IDDM, These animal toxicology studies indicate that the ef fect of vaccines on human insulin dependent diabetes needs to be exami ned,