DIABETES MELLITUS TYPES 1 AND 2 AND IMMUNE ASPECTS

Abstract

Diabetes mellitus is characterized as a chronic degenerative disease, with permanent hyperglycemia as its main symptom. It is considered a worldwide epidemic due to the increasing incidence and difficulty in curing. The high prevalence of diabetes and its complications indicates the need for investments in preventing and controlling the disease. Therefore, the objective of this article is to present the main characteristics of type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus, as well as the immunological mechanisms involved in this disease, identifying the possible causes, treatments and forms of prevention. Therefore, a review of specialized literature was carried out for descriptive analysis of the compiled data, which are published in scientific journals and in the database of Brazilian universities. It appears that the immunological elements involved in the development of diabetes mellitus have not yet been determined by research, but it is clear that genetic, environmental and lifestyle-related factors influence the onset of the disease.