Regular
users of betel nut quid – a combination of tobacco, areca nut, betel leaf and
slaked lime that is chewed – could be more susceptible to infectious diseases
such as HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, dengue fever and typhoid, according to a press
release issued by the World Health Organisation alongside a new study
yesterday.
The new research conducted by the WHO and
US-based Loma Linda University and published in the International Journal of
Infectious Disease examined the association between betel nut and infectious
disease in users.
“Findings from this study raise the
possibility that using betel nut quid increases the risk for transmission of
infectious disease through various pathways, such as suppression of the immune
system, or by providing an oral route of entry for disease pathogens,” a press
release accompanying the study said.
The results among betel nut users indicated
that they were 2.6 times more likely to report a diagnosis of HIV/AIDS compared
to non-betel nut users, 2.4 times more likely to have had dengue fever, 1.5 times
more likely to report a diagnosis of tuberculosis and 1.48 times more likely to
have had typhoid.
This led researchers to determine a “strong
association between betel quid use and infectious disease”.
“These associations were found to be stronger
among women, who are the primary users of betel nut quid in Cambodia,” the
press release read.
Women often started using betel nut during
pregnancy to stem the symptoms of morning sickness the study found.
The study used data from the National Adult
Tobacco Survey of Cambodia from 2005-06, which involved interviews with 13,988
adults nationwide.
National Professional Officer for Tobacco Free
Initiative and Health Promotion at the WHO, Yel Daravuth, who also co-authored
the study, said it provided another strong case to fight tobacco use.
“If we help people to stop chewing tobacco, we
also help [to] prevent people from getting infectious disease,” he said.
The NATSC 2011 found that more than half a
million women chew betel nut.
Chea Eam, 64, from Kandal province who works
as farmer, said she could not stop
chewing betel nut even though she was told she had cancer and kidney stones by
her doctor four months ago.
“I have reduced the amount of betel nut I chew
because I suffer from serious stomach aches, but I think that my illness is not
caused by chewing betel nut,” she said.
Representatives from the Health Ministry were
not available for comment.
Mary Kozlovski and Kim Yuthana
The Phnom Penh Post
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