Alcohol Use and the Risk of Communicable Diseases

TY - JOUR

T1 - Alcohol Use and the Risk of Communicable Diseases

AU - Morojele, Neo K

AU - Shenoi, Sheela V

AU - Shuper, Paul A

AU - Braithwaite, Ronald Scott

AU - Rehm, Jürgen

PY - 2021/9/23

Y1 - 2021/9/23

N2 - The body of knowledge on alcohol use and communicable diseases has been growing in recent years. Using a narrative review approach, this paper discusses alcohol's role in the acquisition of and treatment outcomes from four different communicable diseases: these include three conditions included in comparative risk assessments to date-Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)/AIDS, tuberculosis (TB), and lower respiratory infections/pneumonia-as well as Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) because of its recent and rapid ascension as a global health concern. Alcohol-attributable TB, HIV, and pneumonia combined were responsible for approximately 360,000 deaths and 13 million disability-adjusted life years lost (DALYs) in 2016, with alcohol-attributable TB deaths and DALYs predominating. There is strong evidence that alcohol is associated with increased incidence of and poorer treatment outcomes from HIV, TB, and pneumonia, via both behavioral and biological mechanisms. Preliminary studies suggest that heavy drinkers and those with alcohol use disorders are at increased risk of COVID-19 infection and severe illness. Aside from HIV research, limited research exists that can guide interventions for addressing alcohol-attributable TB and pneumonia or COVID-19. Implementation of effective individual-level interventions and alcohol control policies as a means of reducing the burden of communicable diseases is recommended.

AB - The body of knowledge on alcohol use and communicable diseases has been growing in recent years. Using a narrative review approach, this paper discusses alcohol's role in the acquisition of and treatment outcomes from four different communicable diseases: these include three conditions included in comparative risk assessments to date-Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)/AIDS, tuberculosis (TB), and lower respiratory infections/pneumonia-as well as Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) because of its recent and rapid ascension as a global health concern. Alcohol-attributable TB, HIV, and pneumonia combined were responsible for approximately 360,000 deaths and 13 million disability-adjusted life years lost (DALYs) in 2016, with alcohol-attributable TB deaths and DALYs predominating. There is strong evidence that alcohol is associated with increased incidence of and poorer treatment outcomes from HIV, TB, and pneumonia, via both behavioral and biological mechanisms. Preliminary studies suggest that heavy drinkers and those with alcohol use disorders are at increased risk of COVID-19 infection and severe illness. Aside from HIV research, limited research exists that can guide interventions for addressing alcohol-attributable TB and pneumonia or COVID-19. Implementation of effective individual-level interventions and alcohol control policies as a means of reducing the burden of communicable diseases is recommended.

KW - Alcoholism/epidemiology

KW - COVID-19/epidemiology

KW - Communicable Diseases/epidemiology

KW - Comorbidity

KW - Global Burden of Disease/statistics & numerical data

KW - HIV Infections/epidemiology

KW - Humans

KW - Respiratory Tract Infections/epidemiology

KW - Risk

KW - SARS-CoV-2

KW - Tuberculosis/epidemiology

U2 - 10.3390/nu13103317

DO - 10.3390/nu13103317

M3 - SCORING: Review article

C2 - 34684318

VL - 13

JO - NUTRIENTS

JF - NUTRIENTS

SN - 2072-6643

IS - 10

M1 - 3317

ER -