The epidemiology and pathogenesis of type 1 diabetes mellitus in Africa

Type 1 diabetes is a serious, debilitating disease, with life-threatening complications, and the financial burden associated with the management of this disease is enormous. Early diagnosis and intervention can improve morbidity and mortality. Unfortunately, in Africa, type 1 diabetes is poorly characterised, and there is sparse information regarding the aetiology and epidemiology of this disease. However, there is some evidence of a later age of onset in African type 1 diabetic patients, compared to European diabetics, and it is thought that the prevalence of type 1 diabetes is lower in African populations than in the Western world.