Tuberculosis and Alcoholism

Abstract

Tuberculosis and alcoholism have a mutual negative effect on the clinical course of each of these diseases. Tuberculosis in alcoholics has a high probability of progressing in a chronic cavitary disease, and a substantial proportion of these patients have a poor prognosis, mostly associated with noncompliance and continuing alcohol abuse. Many features of a combination of these two diseases have a striking resemblance to tuberculosis in drug users and among psychiatric patients. The therapy of tuberculosis in alcoholics should be mandatory and should combine aggressive treatment of both diseases. In epidemiological terms, the tubercular alcoholics represent a dangerous group due to the higher content of tubercle bacilli in their sputum, higher probability of having drug resistance, but mostly because of their potentially antisocial behavior. Therefore, treatment of these patients in special hospitals is important not only for proper supervision of their therapy but also for epidemiological reasons.

Key Words:

Alcoholism in tuberculosis patients - tuberculosis in alcoholics