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Background Intestinal barriers, intestinal flora, and mucosal immunity are the main factors responsible for the development of various allergic and autoimmune diseases. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between the intestinal flora of children and the presence of type 1 diabetes, and to determine if gut microbiota could partly explain the etiology of the disease. Methods Fecal flora analysis was done using quantitative cultures on selective and non-selective media with different thermal and atmospheric conditions for bacterial and fungal growth. The study group consisted of 35 patients (16 female, 19 male; mean age, 10.73 ± 4.16 years), who had been followed by the University of Istanbul, Cerrahpasa Medical Faculty, Department of Pediatrics, and were newly diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. The control group consisted of 35 healthy subjects (15 female, 20 male; mean age, 9.96 ± 4.09 years), who were randomly selected and had similar demographics. Results Bifidobacterium colonization was lower in patients with type 1 diabetes compared to the control group, whereas Candida albicans and Enterobacteriaceae other than Echerichia coli colonization was increased. Conclusion A decrease in beneficial anaerobic bacteria levels and a concomitant increase in Enterobacteriaceae other than E. coli and C. albicans colonization may lead to a disturbance in the ecological balance of intestinal flora, which could be a triggering factor in type 1 diabetes etiology.

Specific IgE against Acarus siro, Glycphagus domesticus, Tyrophagus putrescentiae, and Lepidoglyphus destructor have been investigated by ELISA in sera of 92 children. Of them, 41 were found to be specific IgE positive (≥ 0.35 IU/ml) against at least one of house dust mite species, Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus and Dermatophagoides farinae, by an immunoblot. In 65.9% of the dust mite-sensitized children, specific IgE against at least one of these mite species was found. Sensitization levels, including co-sensitization cases were found to be 35.7% against A. siro, 24.4% against T. putrescentiae, 31.7% against L. destructor, and 26.8% against G. domesticus. In non-sensitized children, dust mite sensitization level was found to be 25.5%. Breakdown of sensitization by individual species in this group was; against A. siro and T. putrescentiae at 7.8%, against L. destructor at 13.7%, and against G. domesticus at 9.8%. When all children were reckoned, 43.5% was found to be sensitized against at least one storage mite species, with sensitizations against A. siro at 18.5%, T. putrescentiae at 26.1%, L. destructor at 21.7%, and G. domesticus at 17.4%. In dust samples collected from the dwellings of children, distribution of species was found to be A. siro (17%), G. domesticus (23%), T. putrescentiae (29%), L. destructor (25%), and unidentified (6%). In Fisher's chi-square test on SPSS program, there was a relationship between dust mite sensitization and storage mite sensitization (P < 0.05), but no meaningful relationship was found on the basis of individual mite species.