Does acute pancreatitis infect people?

Written by He Zong Quan
General Surgery
Updated on May 21, 2025
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Acute pancreatitis is now prevalent and is often caused by gallstones, alcohol consumption, and hyperlipidemia, among other reasons. After the onset of acute pancreatitis, patients typically experience abdominal pain, accompanied by nausea, vomiting, fever, and even jaundice. Symptoms generally do not significantly alleviate after vomiting. Acute pancreatitis itself is not a contagious disease and does not spread from person to person. Contagious diseases involve a source of infection, a mode of transmission, and a susceptible population. Acute pancreatitis is merely a common illness, primarily caused by medical and surgical issues. Therefore, treatment mainly focuses on the organic causes of pancreatitis.

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Written by He Zong Quan
General Surgery
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Does acute pancreatitis affect the rise in blood sugar?

After the onset of acute pancreatitis, pathological changes occur in the pancreas, affecting both its endocrine and exocrine functions. The endocrine function includes the secretion of insulin, which can lead to insulin resistance, impacting glucose metabolism and causing an increase in blood sugar levels. Therefore, after admission, it is routine to monitor the blood sugar levels of patients with acute pancreatitis and manage insulin resistance. Additionally, due to the increased blood sugar levels, there is a higher risk of infection in these patients. Depending on the cause of the condition, targeted treatment is necessary along with the early use of antibiotics to control the progression of pancreatitis, reduce the rate of infections, and promote recovery of the body.

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Written by He Zong Quan
General Surgery
48sec home-news-image

Does acute pancreatitis infect people?

Acute pancreatitis is now prevalent and is often caused by gallstones, alcohol consumption, and hyperlipidemia, among other reasons. After the onset of acute pancreatitis, patients typically experience abdominal pain, accompanied by nausea, vomiting, fever, and even jaundice. Symptoms generally do not significantly alleviate after vomiting. Acute pancreatitis itself is not a contagious disease and does not spread from person to person. Contagious diseases involve a source of infection, a mode of transmission, and a susceptible population. Acute pancreatitis is merely a common illness, primarily caused by medical and surgical issues. Therefore, treatment mainly focuses on the organic causes of pancreatitis.

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Written by Wei Shi Liang
Intensive Care Unit
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Is acute severe pancreatitis serious?

Acute severe pancreatitis is a very serious disease in clinical practice, with a high mortality rate, often requiring comprehensive treatment in the ICU. Acute severe pancreatitis is a disease caused by multiple etiologies that results in localized inflammation, necrosis, and infection of the pancreas, accompanied by a systemic inflammatory response and persistent organ failure. It is divided into three phases. The first phase is the acute response phase, occurring from onset to about two weeks, characterized by systemic inflammatory response; the second phase is the systemic infection phase, occurring from two weeks to about two months, characterized by necrosis and infection of the pancreas or peripancreatic tissues; the third phase is the residual infection phase, occurring two to three months later, with clinical manifestations primarily of systemic malnutrition and persistent fistulas, accompanied by gastrointestinal fistulas.

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Written by Zhu Dan Hua
Gastroenterology
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Acute pancreatitis clinical manifestations and signs

The clinical manifestations of acute pancreatitis generally present as upper abdominal pain, with some patients also experiencing fever, nausea, vomiting, and pain in the lumbar and back areas. In terms of physical signs, the main ones are abdominal distension and tenderness in the upper abdomen, with abdominal pain being the most commonly seen symptom in clinical settings. This pain is typically in the upper abdomen, persistent, and difficult to alleviate, although bending forward may provide some relief for the patient; some patients may also experience symptoms of vomiting. Diagnosis of the condition primarily relies on blood and urine amylase levels and imaging studies. Typically, an ultrasound and CT scan of the abdomen are completed, which can reveal typical changes associated with acute pancreatitis, such as effusion, etc. Treatment, for now, involves enzyme inhibition, fasting, acid suppression, fluid replacement, and other symptomatic treatments. Generally, the acute phase of pancreatitis can be controlled within five to seven days, but if severe pancreatitis is considered, the treatment period may be longer. (The use of medication should be under the guidance of a physician.)

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Written by Li Chang Yue
General Surgery
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Is a second recurrence of acute pancreatitis serious?

Acute pancreatitis recurring for the second time is quite serious, as recurrent episodes of pancreatitis can lead to worsened conditions. Particularly after the second recurrence, there may be continuous damage to the pancreatic cells, leading to possible pancreatic fibrosis, and even severe complications such as pancreatogenic diabetes and pancreatic pseudocysts following substantial necrosis of the pancreas. Therefore, for recurrent pancreatitis, it is essential to adopt an aggressive treatment approach, aiming for early diagnosis and timely control measures. This can allow for comprehensive and effective treatment of pancreatitis, salvaging some damaged pancreatic cells, which might be more meaningful for the patient's prognosis. Thus, in cases of a second recurrence of acute pancreatitis with severe complications, active interventions including surgical treatment and other emergency measures should be pursued.