|
Alcohol abuse may increase
susceptibility to HIV infection, researchers have found. The
findings could be particularly significant as there is evidence
that alcohol abuse is common among people who are HIV positive.
One study found that 41% of HIV-infected patients met the
criteria for alcoholism.
The research, which was carried out on rhesus monkeys infected
with a similar virus, shows that binge drinking poses the
most significant problem. Lead researcher Professor Gregory
Bagby, of Louisiana State University, said there was evidence
that people who abuse alcohol are more likely to engage in
risky behaviours such as unprotected sex.
Thus there was reason to believe that these
people are at greater risk of becoming infected with HIV.
However, his research suggests that once infected with the
virus, they are also more vulnerable to its effects. The researchers
infected rhesus monkeys with simian immunodeficiency virus
(SIV) after they had been given either regular doses of alcohol
or a sugar solution.
Approximately one week after SIV infection,
there was a 64-fold increase of the SIV virus in the blood
of the alcohol-treated monkeys compared to those given the
sugar solution.
Professor Bagby said: "This most likely
means that either more cells are infected with virus at this
early stage or that infected cells are producing more virus.
"If more cells are infected, it means that
the alcohol increased infectivity of cells or increased the
number of susceptible cells."
Immune targets
The reason why alcohol appears to increase HIV infectivity
is unclear. However, the researchers believe that it might
activate immune cells called CD4+T cells, which are located
in the wall of the gut which are known to be very vulnerable
to becoming infected with HIV. The researchers now plan to
examine the long-term effects of alcohol abuse on the development
of SIV-related disease.
Professor Bagby said: "Our study shows
alcohol consumption may increase susceptibility to infection
upon exposure to HIV.
"An increased risk of becoming infected
with HIV is one of many reasons why young people should moderate
their alcohol consumption."
Michael Carter, of the UK National Aids Manual,
said the study was "very interesting" but still
at a very early stage. He told BBC News Online: "It may
help to explain why some people become infected with HIV when
exposed to the virus, while others do not."
Mark Graver, of the Terrence Higgins Trust,
said: "Anything which has a significant effect on a person's
immune system will increase the risk of that person contracting
HIV if they are in a situation where HIV transmission is possible.
"Alcohol consumption on its own can also reduce a person's
ability to make informed choices around safer sex and protecting
themselves from HIV infection."
A spritz can make HIVers healthier—but
a splurge can cause the ultimate hangover
The HIVer Appeal:
Life with HIV can be stressful, to say the least—and
there’s nothing that can chill us out or warm us up like
a nice glass of Merlot or a perfectly mixed martini. And for
anxious HIVers, whose meds often boost cholesterol and heart-disease
risk, liquor is truly therapeutic: Research shows that a daily
glass of red wine or alcohol can help control cholesterol,
hike antioxidants and unclog arteries.
Why booze and HIV don’t mix:
But more than two drinks (one for women) a day creates numerous
HIV-related hazards. An NIH study showed that alcohol can
reduce CD4 function, prompting HIV to multiply faster, which
taxes the brain and central nervous system. Booze and HAART
make especially poor playmates: Together they stress the liver
(particularly in the hepatitis-co-infected) and sap med potency,
while inviting kidney stones, pancreatitis and insulin resistance,
which can lead to diabetes. Lushing can also encourage erratic
HAART adherence and treatment-spoiling resistance. And though
alcohol may seem to salve depression and anxiety, it can actually
mask and intensify them, interfering with diagnosis and treatment.
Do you need help?
Drop by www.alcoholics-anonymous.org
and try the 12-question “Is AA For You?” quiz. It
will help you determine whether drinking is cramping your
style—a question only you can answer.
The Big Fix:
Alcoholics Anonymous is the time-honored (and free) option,
with thousands of meetings all over the world—many just
for women, people of color, lesbians, gays and/or HIVers.
Contrary to popular belief, AA is not a Christian program,
or even a religious one—but it does call its 12-step
recovery path “spiritual” and recommends that people
find their own definition of God. But AA’s not your only
hope (see “Recovery Rooms”
). Plenty of other resources, many of them oriented toward
HIVers, can help you stop or moderate your drinking—and
restore your natural high.
|
