Does acute pancreatitis infect people?

Written by He Zong Quan
General Surgery
Updated on May 21, 2025
00:00
00:00

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.

Other Voices

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Zhu Dan Hua
Gastroenterology
1min 10sec home-news-image

What is acute pancreatitis and is it serious?

Acute pancreatitis is relatively common in clinical practice, which generally refers to inflammatory changes in the pancreas caused by various reasons, such as exudation and necrosis of the pancreas. Depending on the condition, it is divided into mild and severe pancreatitis. Generally, mild pancreatitis has a good prognosis with a treatment period of about one to two weeks through conservative medical treatment, and it typically heals on its own. However, severe pancreatitis with accompanying organ failure, such as liver, kidney, or respiratory failure, or the presence of local complications like abscesses, fever, pseudocysts, obstruction, etc., generally has a longer treatment period, poorer prognosis, and higher treatment costs. Therefore, the treatment outcomes vary depending on the severity and urgency of the acute pancreatitis. It is recommended that patients considering acute pancreatitis should continue diagnosis and treatment at a local hospital. Particular attention must be given to severe pancreatitis.

doctor image
home-news-image
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.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Wu Hai Wu
Gastroenterology
47sec home-news-image

Can you drink water with acute pancreatitis?

Patients with acute pancreatitis cannot drink water or eat anything during the acute phase. They must undergo gastrointestinal decompression to suction out gastric juice, gastric acid, and gastric contents. At the same time, treatment for acute pancreatitis includes inhibiting pancreatic secretion, anti-infection measures, intravenous fluid replenishment, and maintaining electrolyte balance, among others. If a patient with acute pancreatitis experiences bowel movements, gas, relief from abdominal pain, and a decrease in blood amylase to normal levels, they may then consider drinking small amounts of water and consuming light foods like rice soup or thin porridge. If the abdominal pain disappears, the patient can gradually increase their water intake.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by He Zong Quan
General Surgery
55sec home-news-image

Is it normal to have a fever with acute pancreatitis?

Acute pancreatitis often occurs following gallstones, hyperlipidemia, and alcohol consumption. Patients with acute pancreatitis sometimes exhibit clear symptoms, including fever. This is due to the significant inflammatory irritation and the extravasation of pancreatic juices, causing infection and effusion around the pancreatic tissue. If not treated promptly, the fever may persist. Therefore, after diagnosing acute pancreatitis, treatments such as dietary restrictions, gastrointestinal decompression, enzyme inhibition, acid suppression, correction of fluid and electrolyte balance, and anti-infection measures should be taken. These treatments can delay or alleviate the progression of acute pancreatitis and help the patient's body recover sooner, thereby reducing the fever.

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

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.