Cigarettes Cause TB Disease

The habit of smoking can further increase the occurrence of TB infection, TB disease, and death. Thus the results of a recent study conducted Hsien-Ho Lin and colleagues at the Harvard School of Public Health.


Lin claimed evidence of an association between smoking, passive smoking, and indoor air pollution from firewood and coal to the risk of infection, disease and death from tuberculosis. Of the approximately 100 people who examined it was found that smoking tobacco and as many as 33 people suffering from tuberculosis, passive smokers and 5 people suffer from TB and affected by air pollution and 5 people suffer from tuberculosis.

According to Lin, those infected with TB is that time of the examination showed a positive tuberculin skin test, tuberculosis, and died of tuberculosis. The findings mentioned at least cigarette smoking increases the risk of tuberculosis as much as two times compared with those who do not smoke.

There are strong links between those active smoking with the occurrence of TB infections and deaths from tuberculosis. While in those exposed to air pollution and as a second-hand smoke, the evidence that explains the relationship with tuberculosis infection is still very limited, and still done the research to date.

The conclusion to prevent the incidence of TB infection is to stop smoking and avoid exposure to air is filled with pollutants.