Alcoholism as a Factor in the Development and Spread of Diseases

Within the framework of this review, modern medical views on the nature of alcoholism and its impact on the development and spread of various diseases are presented. It also characterizes the pathogenesis of alcoholism at the molecular level, provides data on disorders of carbohydrate metabolism, immune system, cell death, modulation of mitochondrial permeability and modulation of gene expression due to the influence of alcohol. progression of infectious diseases (tuberculosis, pneumonia), cancer, diabetes, diseases of the nervous system (alcoholic polyneuropathy, Wernicke's encephalopathy), cardiovascular diseases (hypertension, coronary heart disease), liver diseases (hepatitis, cirrhosis), aswell as pancreatic diseases (pancreatitis). A special place in the review is occupied by the description of the role of alcohol in the spread of sexually transmitted infections (STIs): syphilis, chlamydia, ureaplasmosis, gonorrhea, HIV infection, herpes simplex, trichomoniasis. In this case, the influence of several factors was recorded. The first is associated with changes that occur in the body as a result of excessive alcohol consumption -in particular, with a weakened immune system and/or a decrease in the effectiveness of treatment. Another factor is related to promiscuous antisocial behavior, often inherent in persons suffering from alcohol dependence.