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Smoking and influenza

by Saira Simmons

Influenza or flu is an acute viral infection of the respiratory tract, occurring in isolated cases, epidemics and pandemics. It can cause mild to severe illness, and at times can lead to death. Smokers are more prone to the threat of influenza because smoking is related to chronic coughing and sneezing and respiratory droplets formed during the process is the medium through which the influenza virus get transmitted to others.

Influenza or flu is an acute viral infection of the respiratory tract, occurring in isolated cases, epidemics and pandemics. It can cause mild to severe illness, and at times can lead to death. Smokers are more prone to the threat of influenza because smoking is related to chronic coughing and sneezing and respiratory droplets formed during the process is the medium through which the influenza virus get transmitted to others.


Smoking is a process where nicotine is inhaled and absorbed into the body. Nicotine is a poisonous, addictive chemical found in tobacco. At present, smoking is prevalent among everyone from children to adults. Smoking deteriorates nearly every organs of the body and reduces the health of smokers making it susceptible to diseases caused by influenza. Influenza infection is more common among smokers in comparison to non smokers. Immune system of the body becomes weak due to smoking and becomes unable to produce antibody to fight the antigen at the time of invasion, so, they are likely to fall prey to all the respiratory diseases.


It is the reason of higher mortality rate for smokers than nonsmokers from influenza. Some researches suggest that the illness of one fourth of young and healthy population infected with influenza is attributed by smoking. Various grave diseases which is caused by smoking includes chronic bronchitis, coronary artery diseases and other forms of heart disease, emphysema, gastroesophageal reflux disease, lung cancer etc. Nicotine which is present in tobacco is responsible for some other diseases like erectile dysfunction or impotency, gray hair and baldness, high blood pressure and circulation problems, infertility in men and women, osteoporosis and increased risk of bone fracture.


Quitting smoking is the first measure to prevent influenza and it will enhance the life expectancy. It lowers the possibility of having heart attack, stroke, or cancer. Following measures can be adopted to quit smoking successfully: " Visit your doctor, seek required advice and get proper medication. (Generic Zyban is an effective drug than sugar pills in helping patients stop smoking.) " Share your desire with your family members and get support and encouragement from them.


Coffee, tea and alcohol are well-known triggers for smokers, so try to stay away from it, instead try some fruit juices. " Try to bye some good magazines, perfumes and clothes with the money which you generally used to waste buying cigarettes. " Quitting smoking has immediate, as well as long-term health benefits. So, it's better and urgent to quit smoking, and you should try it today. .