Type 1 diabetes in Swedish bank voles (Clethrionomys glareolus): signs of disease in both colonized and wild cyclic populations at peak density

Abstract

Colonized bank voles (Clethrionomys glareolus) originating from Sweden developed type 1 diabetes. Animals became polydipsic, glucosuric, and hyperglycemic and gradually developed a lethal ketoacidosis. Pancreas in animals with end-stage disease showed total destruction of islet cells. Interestingly, also a high proportion of wild bank voles in cyclic populations that were trapped at (or close to) the cyclic population density peak frequently showed high blood glucose levels and pathological glucose tolerance test. Extensive islet destruction was not seen in wild bank voles at the time of capture, but did develop in some of the animals over a time period of two months. Diabetes in both colonized and wild bank voles was associated with Ljungan virus (LV). LV could be isolated from the pancreas of diabetic bank voles and antigen detected at the site of tissue damage by immunohistochemistry. In addition, picornavirus-like particles were visualized in the islets of diabetic voles using thin-section transmission electron microscopy.