Coxsackie B4 virus is a virus which can trigger an autoimmune reaction which results in destruction of the insulin-producing beta cells of the pancreas, which is one of several different etiologies of diabetes mellitus.

An absolute deficiency of insulin renders the person a type 1 diabetic. There are several viruses in the Coxsackie family and many of them seem to evoke this response, as do several other agents. A genetic predispostion to this seems to be required. A particular HLA type has been associated with that genetic predispostion.

See also: diabetes mellitus, diabetes mellitus type 1. Picornaviruses