Cigarette smoke shows effects on antibiotic resistance to bacterial infections
While the effects of cigarette smoke on non-communicable disease (cancer and heart disease) is becoming well known, effects of smoke on resistance by bacteria is not well known.
S. aureus is a bacteria which has been linked to potentially deadly diseases such as skin infections, pneumonia and endocarditis.
“Researchers found that cigarette smoke causes stress in S. aureus. This stress then forces the microbe to make emergency response by increasing its mutation in microbial DNA.
Such response makes S. aureus stronger and capable of resisting antibiotics according to researchers. During lab tests, the cigarette-exposed microbe developed resistance to the antibiotic rifampicin.
Researchers noted it may also be able to block the effects of other antibiotics not used in their study.”
Hopefully a fuller understanding of toxic tobacco and its effects will result in more bans of smoking so smoke contaminants and emissions will not adversely affect our ability to overcome common infections.
See links below to more on this research.
Lacoma A, Edwards AM, Young BC, Domínguez J, Prat C, Laabei M. Cigarette smoke exposure redirects Staphylococcus aureus to a virulence profile associated with persistent infection. Scientific Reports. Volume 9, Article number: 10798, 25 July 2019. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-019-47258-6
See also: https://www.medicaldaily.com/cigarettes-bad-effects-smoking-boosts-superbugs-antibiotic-resistance-440111
