Smoking tobacco changes the immune system, putting people at greater risk of diseases and infection, and the effect can last for years after quitting, a new study shows.
The study found smokers who quit had an improved innate immune response; however, the adaptive immune response took longer to recover. The innate immune response is the general reaction to germs by the skin, mucous membranes, proteins and immune system cells while the adaptive immune response involves antibodies, bodily fluids, and B and T lymphocytes that adapt to threats the body has previously encountered.
Researchers also noted that the more study participants had smoked, the more their immune response changed.
These findings may explain problems seen with the immune system and the fact that previous smokers can still develop chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and other chronic conditions, said Albert Rizzo, chief medical officer of the American Medical Association.
