Smoking incites HIV infection risk-Study

Cigarette smoking, which has already been linked to an increased risk of contracting other infections generally, including sexually transmitted infections, may also incite the risk of infection with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, a new research revealed.

After sifting through 13 academic research databases, three abstract databases from recent international Aids conferences, including viewing relevant websites and contacting experts in the field, researchers analyzed that the smokers may be at greater risk of HIV infection than non-smokers.

In their analysis, researchers identified six studies that closely studied the association between smoking and becoming HIV positive. Five of the studies discovered smokers were at increased risk of contracting HIV. The increased risk ranged from 60% higher in smokers to a more than tripling of the risk.

The researchers looked at 10 more studies that looked at the association between smoking and progression to AIDS, nine of them concluding that smokers were not at increased risk.

"The studies identified in this systematic review indicate that while smoking might be independently associated with acquiring HIV infection, it does not appear to be related to progression to AIDS," said Dr Andrew Furber, of the South East Sheffield Primary Care Trust.

Furber and his fellow experts, who reported the findings in the journal “Sexually Transmitted Infections”, said tobacco smoke may increase susceptibility to HIV infection by modifying the structure of the lungs and changing a variety of immune system responses, including curbs on the production of antibodies and the activity of infection fighting white cells.

There are nearly 40 million worldwide people living with HIV/AIDS, and about 5 million were newly infected in 2005 and more than 3 million adults and children died of AIDS in the same year. The global number of deaths related to tobacco is expected to reach 8.4 million in 2020.

AIDS continues to have an intense impact on Africa than any other continent and it is estimated that millions of Africans are addicted to this life threatening habit.

The researchers suggest that public health measures like encouraging people to quit smoking may contribute to the effectiveness of HIV/Aids prevention programmes.