Symposium 21

Symposium 21：Smoking and tuberculosis: a dangerous combination

Tobacco smoke has a profound impact on airway inflammation and is well-documented to be strong risk factor for COPD and lung cancer. Meanwhile, tobacco smoke also impair the immunity of alveolar macrophages and lymphocytes, which may lead to increased risk of pulmonary infection, including pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB).
Tobacco smokers are two to three times more likely to develop PTB compared to non-smokers. Smokers who have TB have a much harder time recovering from the disease and are more likely to experience relapses and impairment of lung function or pulmonary sequalae.
The interaction between tobacco smoke and TB is a complex one, with tobacco smoking increasing the risk of developing TB and compromised the treatment outcomes. The aim of this symposium is to elaborate the impact of smoke on lung immunity and it association with risk of PTB.