[Effects of cigarette smoke constituents on the immune system with special consideration of patients with tuberculosis].

This paper reviews effects of various components of cigarette smoke on the immune system. Nicotine is a major immunosupressive component in cigarette smoke. While acute effects of cigarette smoke on the immune system are less clear, chronic exposure to cigarette smoke causes alterations in humoral and cellular immunity. This study has revealed a communication between the immune system and the central nervous system (CNS) through nicotinic receptors in the brain. In clinical practice there is a great interest in effects of smoking on the immune system in patients with tuberculosis. Studies have established that smokers with pulmonary tuberculosis, compared to non-smokers, have a more severe form of the disease.