Crack cocaine and infectious tuberculosis.
We hypothesize that crack cocaine is independently associated with smear-positive tuberculosis (TB). In a case-control study of TB in London, 19 (86%) of 22 crack cocaine users with pulmonary TB were smear positive compared with 302 (36%) of 833 non-drug users. Respiratory damage caused by crack cocaine may predispose drug users to infectivity.
Story
Alistair
A
Tuberculosis Section, Respiratory Diseases Department, Health Protection Agency, London, UK. alistair.story@hpa.org.uk
Bothamley
Graham
G
Hayward
Andrew
A