Cornell medical researchers say they have made a connection between a virus and chronic disease. The study was published this fall.

From the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, doctors noticed the virus affecting a number of organ systems — not only the lungs, but also the heart, liver, colon and pancreas.

Using cadavers, doctors say they have now made a direct connection.

What You Need To Know

  • Cornell says a cutting-edge model system was used to uncover the mechanism by which SARS-CoV-2 induces new cases of diabetes

  • At the start of the pandemic, reports of new-onset diabetes and exacerbated complications in patients with pre-existing diabetes

  • Cornell researchers started with samples of pancreatic tissue from autopsies of people who had died of COVID-19

New research being done at Weill Cornell provides further evidence of a correlation between COVID-19 and the chronic disease diabetes.

"In the COVID pandemic, we find many COVID patients in the ICU," says Weill Cornell Medical Professor Dr. Shuibing Chen. "They have high blood glucose, blood sugar levels. Risk to develop diabetes is higher in COVID patients."

Researchers from Weill Cornell Medicine used a new model system to uncover the mechanism by which COVID-19, induces new cases of diabetes, and worsens complications in people who already have it. It builds on research, published in 2022 by the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, indicating that children may have 2 1/2 times higher risk of being diagnosed with diabetes after COVID.

“Diabetes is really a big medical burden in the United States," Chen said. "We have a huge population suffering from type 1 and type 2 diabetes.”

Dahlia Molina was diagnosed with diabetes when she was seven years old during the height of the pandemic.

“That was probably the hardest day of our life; at seven, [she] didn’t really know what was going on," says Heather Molina, Dahlia's mom. "We were released the next day to Joslyn diabetes center where they gave us a training for four hours and how to keep our child alive. Hearing my my daughter get an IV for the first time is it I don’t ever wanna hear that again. It was traumatizing and life-changing.”

CDC data showed 38.4 million people in America were diabetic in 2021, adding that 1.5 million more are diagnosed each year. For Dahlia and her family, the burden and responsibility is every day.

"We always have an emergency bag with us that has things like applesauce, apple juice, and also has her emergency glucagon," Heather said of Dahlia, "because you never know when she’s gonna have an emergency and we need to save her life.”

Cornell’s research team found that viral exposure activates immune cells that, in turn, destroy the pancreatic cells that produce insulin.

“When we talk about our first response [we] always say lung, right?" Chen said. "Lung damage, but actually ... SARS-COVID-2 virus can damage many tissues.”

Chen says scientists, with this finding, could work to develop clinical therapeutics to try to avoid injury to organs like the pancreas.

Until then, Dahlia's mom offers hope.

“You will survive, but find a community," Heather said.

Heather added that she and Dahlia have been surrounded by community support and help handling major life changes.