A recent study found:

Too much alcohol dulls more than your wits. It also weakens your immune system and could make you much more vulnerable to viruses, including HIV.

To see how alcohol affects resistance to infection, Gyongyi Szabo of the University of Massachusetts Medical School in Worcester and colleagues exposed monocytes – white blood cells involved in the front-line defence against infection – to chemicals that mimic viruses and bacteria. Half of the cells were also soused in the levels of alcohol that a person might have in their blood after quaffing four or five alcoholic drinks daily for a week.

Alcohol blunted the monocytes' defences. When the over-the-limit cells were exposed to a virus mimic, they produced only a quarter as much of the virus-fighting signalling molecule called type-1 interferon as teetotal monocytes made.

"Interferon is pivotal, the first response to any viral infection," says Szabo. "There's no viral elimination without it."

Moreover:

Monocytes exposed to a bacterial chemical suffered a double blow when inebriated. Not only did they make half as much type-1 interferon as their abstemious equivalents, they also overproduced an inflammatory chemical called tumour necrosis factor-alpha. Although important for initiating inflammatory responses to bacteria, continued production of this chemical can damage tissue.

The evidence is mounting that alcohol truly is a toxic brew.

http://www.newscientist.com/article/...ne-system.html

[advena]

Thank you. The body's processes are so delicate and complex. Its fascinating to read about.

[Sanada]

Wow, thanks byzantine.
I deff agree with advena, its good to learn.

(((mono-cyte's)))

What doe's 'Cyte' mean. I know mono is 1 (or singular). At a guess they are the meaning for many of '1'-'s. Fighting a battle inside the immune system. I know I could (Google) it, but I won't...

Monocytes: Large, phagocytic mononuclear leukocytes produced in the vertebrate BONE MARROW and released into the BLOOD; contain a large, oval or somewhat indented nucleus surrounded by voluminous cytoplasm and numerous organelles.

monocytes: Monocytes are essentially immature macrophages. After their formation and release by the bone marrow, these cells enter the bloodstream and circulate for about 36 hours while they mature into macrophages. Sessile macrophages are the tissue counterparts of monocytes of peripheral blood. Sometimes, the term histiocytes is used for these cells. Monocytes together with polymorphonuclear leukocytes (granulocytes) are being referred to collectively as myelomonocytic cells. The term plasmacytoid monocytes refers to a population of cells known also asT-associated plasma cells, plasmacytoid T-cells, plasmacytoid predendritic cells, plasmacytoid dendritic cells, or natural IFN-producing cells. See also: dendritic cells.

monocytes: One of three types of white blood cells. Monocytes are precursors to macrophages.

[Sanada]

Wow, Thanks Byzantine.
I think I will have to keep coming back to this post/reply to my question (just to 'try' to get my head round it). Wowzie. It sounds an 'anatomy' control part of what the Bone Marrow is meant to do. Keep us safe and topped up with a good immune system...
.
Thanks