Cigarette Smoking and Invasive Pneumococcal Disease - Implications for Severity of H1N1

Cigarette smoking is the strongest risk factor for pneumococcal disease among immunocompetant non-elderly people. (Nuorti) As we have noted, cigarette also disrupts the major antioxidant system Nrf2. A recent report has shown that pneumococcal disease makes complications from H1N1 much more severe. Because of the relationship of Nrf2 and its important influence on modulation of inflammatory processes. It is worth suggesting that the dysruption of Nrf2 may contribute to H1N1 infection complications and because there have been polymorphs in Nrf2 identified - these polymorphs may make a person either more at risk or less at risk for complications related to H1N1. The implications of this includes that unless a person understands these risk factors related to their own genetic makeup it is advisable to take a physician's advice that is based on recent knowledge and understanding instead of those who claim to be "experts" in environmental disease.


CiteULike: Cigarette Smoking and Invasive Pneumococcal Disease: "Nuorti, J. P., Butler, J. C., Farley, M. M., Harrison, L. H., McGeer, A., Kolczak, M. S., Breiman, R. F., and Team, T. A. B. C. S. (2000). Cigarette smoking and invasive pneumococcal disease. N Engl J Med, 342(10):681-689."


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Nuorti, J. P., Butler, J. C., Farley, M. M., Harrison, L. H., McGeer, A., Kolczak, M. S., Breiman, R. F., and Team, T. A. B. C. S. (2000). Cigarette smoking and invasive pneumococcal disease. N Engl J Med, 342(10):681-689. http://www.citeulike.org/user/HEIRS/article/6462894

Reddy, N. M., Suryanarayana, V., Kalvakolanu, D. V., Yamamoto, M., Kensler, T. W., Hassoun, P. M., Kleeberger, S. R., and Reddy, S. P. (2009). Innate immunity against bacterial infection following hyperoxia exposure is impaired in nrf2-deficient mice. J Immunol, 183(7):4601-4608.

Severity of H1N1 influenza linked to presence of Streptococcus pneumoniae. EurekAlert. December 31, 2009. http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2009-12/cums-soh123009.php