Introduction:
Alcohol abuse is one of the least appreciated medical complications that affect the immune system. Excessive consumption of alcohol leads to immune deficiency, resulting in increased susceptibility to certain diseases. Alcoholism can result in life-threatening complications such as liver diseases and liver failure that components with autoimmunity, wherein the immune system turns on its own body. Alcohol interferes with cell functions and molecular parts of the immune system and alters the production of signaling molecules that aid in immune response coordination. The immune suppression of post-traumatic injuries can be worsened by alcohol intoxication.
What Is the Immune System?
Human beings are continuously exposed to microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses, and fungi, and few microorganisms are essential for well-being. For example, intestinal bacteria help in digestion; others can cause diseases. The immune system attacks infectious diseases and differentiates good and harmful bacteria, eliminating pathogens from the body. The immune system has the ability to detect tissue damage and coordinates with the body's response to remove the damage and help in tissue repair and regeneration. The defense mechanism and response of the immune system are acquired at birth and referred to as ‘innate immunity,’ while the development of immunity by pathogen exposure allowing the body to adapt, learn and encounter is termed ‘adaptive immunity.’
What Are the Immune Cells Involved in Host Defense?
The immune cells are highly specialized cells that involve white blood cells as the chief components of innate and acquired or adaptive immunity. Specific cells include monocytes, macrophages, natural killer cells, neutrophils, dendritic cells, B cells, and T cells. These cells are commonly present in the bloodstream and dwell in the lymphoid organs such as the thymus, bone marrow, and spleen, others including the brain and liver.
This distribution of immune cells allows the body to respond to localized and generalized infections and tissue injuries. The immune cells communicate with the cells through signaling molecules called cytokines to exert their effect and trigger immune responses specifically. In addition, the immunoglobulins or antibodies are produced by B cells that determine the foreign bodies and bind them.
What Are the Effects of Alcohol on the Immune System?
Alcohol consumption alters the function, survival, and number of immune cells. The effect of alcohol on the immune system is based on the amount and frequency of alcohol consumption. The immune cell alteration sometimes is not sufficient to affect one’s health because when the person is exposed to another pathogen, the immune system will not respond accordingly, increasing the risk of infection.
Alcohol adversely affects the immune system through its impact on the liver. The liver produces several antimicrobial proteins that are an important component of innate immunity. When the liver is severely affected by alcohol, it cannot produce certain immune cells and increases infection susceptibility.
Over the long term, alcohol abuse, the immune system is weakened, and the risk and susceptibility to infections are high. It can also reduce the efficiency of vaccines and contribute to diseases including HIV, hepatitis B and C, lung infections, alcoholic liver disease, alcoholic pancreatitis, inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract and brain, and cancer.
What Are the Infections Related to Immunodeficiency?
The diseases related to immunodeficiency are:
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Pneumonia: Alcoholics are twice likely to get pneumonia than nonalcoholics. Regardless of antibiotic availability, alcohol abusers still suffer from increased susceptibility to bacterial pneumonia.
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Tuberculosis: The severity and incidence of tuberculosis are high in alcohol abusers and are increased in HIV individuals. Increased risk of tuberculosis in drug and alcohol abusers have high rates of illness and death due to tuberculosis infection.
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HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus): HIV infection leads to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) in later stages and has become one of the epidemics worldwide. It is primarily transmitted through sexual contact or sharing of needles by drug abusers. Alcohol abusers are at increased risk of developing HIV infection due to the practices of unsafe sex and drug abuse. HIV infection results in immunocompromised conditions that increase the risk of infection susceptibility.
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Hepatitis B and C: Hepatitis-positive patients who suffer from alcoholic or nonalcoholic hepatitis have a synergistic effect on developing liver disease. The relationship between hepatitis B and C and alcohol abuse is unknown. However, the incidence of HBV and HCV due to alcohol abuse is in the range of ten to fifty percent. These conditions affect the immune system to produce immunodeficiency and autoimmunity.
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Cancer: Alcohol is associated with an increased risk of cancer, including liver, throat and mouth, large intestine, and breast. The risk of developing cancer varies depending on the type of cancer, genetic factors, and the amount of alcohol consumed. The effect of alcohol makes the cancer cells more aggressive. Alcohol-induced immune cell disruption allows the cancer cells to grow and progress.
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Recovery From Traumatic Injury: Wounds such as burns, broken bones, and tissue injuries are common in individuals with blood alcohol levels above the legal limit. Consuming alcohol and becoming intoxicated raises the likelihood of sustaining injuries and can also have a negative impact on the patient's recovery, rendering them more susceptible to further immune system-related issues like surgery or infections.
Hence, these individuals die during the recovery period. Alcohol intoxication in patients with burn injuries is more susceptible to lung infection by suppressing the immune system.
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Practical Implications for Alcohol Patients: The effect of alcohol on the immune system have vital implications for treating critically ill patients. Such patients require hospitalization and intensive care. These patients are at an increased risk of various complications such as pneumonia, persistent fever, blood infections, confusion, and disorientation. They are treated with high-dose medication to achieve efficacy.
Conclusion:
The relationship between alcohol abuse and infection susceptibility is due to the alteration in immune cell function. Alcohol increases the susceptibility to several infections such as pneumonia, tuberculosis, HIV, hepatitis B, and C that can affect the liver resulting in decreased production of antibodies. Alcohol intoxication in burn patients increases the susceptibility to lung infections due to immunosuppression. It also has practical implications that are to be considered during hospitalization and treatment.
