Is leukemia contagious, and how can it be transmitted?
Disease description:
My relative has leukemia. I'd like to ask, is leukemia contagious? How can one get infected with leukemia?
Doctor's answer (1)
Dr. Zhang Heyang
Leukemia is not contagious. Generally, infectious diseases are caused by specific pathogens and possess transmissibility and epidemic potential. Leukemia is a malignant disorder of the hematopoietic system, particularly affecting the hematopoietic stem cells in the bone marrow. It can be triggered by exposure to radiation, or may result from genetic and environmental factors. Symptoms may include skin bleeding and joint pain. Therefore, since leukemia is not caused by pathogen infection, it is not transmissible.
