[Smoking and tuberculosis]

Abstract

Smoking and tuberculosis represent two major world health issues particularly in developing countries. Tobacco smoke increases risk of Mycobaterium tuberculosis infection by several means: alteration of muco-ciliary clearance, reduced alveolar macrophage activity; immune-depression of pulmonary lymphocytes, reduction of cytotoxic activity of natural killer cells, alteration of the activity of the pulmonary dendritic cells. Both active and passive smoking increases the risk of latent tubercular infection and of pulmonary and extra-pulmonary tuberculosis. Active smoking increases the severity of pulmonary tuberculosis (gravity of radiological lesions). The diagnostic delay and recovery details are more important for smokers. Active smoking increases relapses of both pulmonary and extra-pulmonary tuberculosis after treatment with or without the Directly Observed Treatment Short course (DOTS) with poor observance of treatment. The mortality risk from tuberculosis is heightened among smokers. Smoking cessation represents an essential means of controlling tuberculosis epidemics in developing countries.