When bacteria become resistant to antibiotics, they become much harder for doctors to treat. This is a major concern for patients with serious infections like tuberculosis. New data suggests that tobacco use plays a significant role in how these infections behave.
Researchers looked at data from more than 35,000 people to see how smoking affects the likelihood of catching antibiotic-resistant germs. They found that people who currently smoke or have ever smoked have significantly higher odds of having an infection that resists standard medicine. This risk was even higher for those who are currently smoking.
While the link is clear, the researchers noted that the data has some limitations. Because the studies they looked at were very different from one another, it is hard to say exactly how much of the risk is caused by smoking alone. However, the findings suggest that stopping tobacco use could be a helpful step in fighting the spread of resistant bacteria.
