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Ethanol, a clear colorless alcohol, has been consumed by humans for millennia, but its effects on the body are far from benign. At lower doses, it induces decreased inhibitions and loquaciousness, leading to its social appeal. However, it can cause severe consequences at higher doses, such as coma and respiratory depression, due to its zero-order elimination kinetics. Chronic ethanol abuse wreaks havoc on multiple organ systems, particularly the CNS and the liver. Abrupt cessation of ethanol...
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The hosts' susceptibility to infection depends on several factors. The integrity of the skin and mucous membranes helps protect the body against microbial attacks. When the skin is altered, the chance of infection, limb loss, and even death increases.
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Updated: Mar 28, 2026

Chronic Intermittent Ethanol Vapor Exposure Paired with Two-Bottle Choice to Model Alcohol Use Disorder
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Alcohol's Effect on Host Defense.

Gyongyi Szabo1, Banishree Saha1

  • 1Department of Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts.

Alcohol Research : Current Reviews
|December 24, 2015
PubMed
Summary

Alcohol impacts the immune system, causing immunosuppression that worsens with infections or injury. Both acute and chronic alcohol use disrupt immune responses, increasing susceptibility to disease.

Area of Science:

  • Immunology
  • Toxicology

Background:

  • Alcohol consumption significantly impacts various organs, notably the immune system, even at moderate levels.
  • Alcohol's effects on immune cells can lead to subclinical immunosuppression, which becomes critical upon secondary insults like infections or tissue damage.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To elucidate the multifaceted effects of alcohol on both innate and adaptive immune responses.
  • To detail how different patterns of alcohol exposure (acute vs. chronic) differentially affect immune system functions.

Main Methods:

  • Review and synthesis of existing research on alcohol's immunomodulatory effects.
  • Analysis of alcohol's impact on specific immune cell populations and cytokine profiles.

Main Results:

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  • Acute alcohol exposure generally inhibits immune responses, while chronic exposure promotes inflammation.
  • Alcohol disrupts both innate immunity (inflammatory and anti-inflammatory pathways) and adaptive immunity (cell-mediated and humoral responses).
  • Chronic alcohol use exacerbates conditions like alcoholic liver disease and pancreatitis through proinflammatory effects.

    • Conclusions:

    • Alcohol consumption, particularly chronic use, leads to significant immune dysregulation.
    • These immune impairments increase vulnerability to infections and sterile inflammatory conditions in alcohol consumers.