Patient's question:
Recently, one of my friends was hospitalized. The doctor said it was ascites. This Sunday, we, as general friends, plan to visit him. It is said that this disease is contagious. Does ascites spread in Wuhan Liver Disease Hospital?Doctor's answer:
Ascites is caused by increased pressure in the liver lymph, hepatic veins, and peritoneal veins due to portal vein obstruction, leading to a reduction in plasma protein levels and an increase in vascular permeability. A small portion of the plasma leaks into the abdominal cavity, forming ascites. Ascites itself cannot be infected, but the primary concern is the underlying cause of the ascites. Common causes of portal vein obstruction include hepatitis B-induced cirrhosis, schistosomiasis-related liver cancer, alcoholic cirrhosis, and malnutrition-related ascites. Among these, hepatitis B, schistosomiasis, and liver cancer-related ascites are infectious and require caution. The others are not contagious. If you are still concerned, you can visit a regular hospital for a thorough check-up of the five hepatitis B markers to see if you have antibodies.