Is it contagious to share tableware with someone who has cirrhosis?
Disease description:
A colleague in our unit has cirrhosis of the liver, and we went to the hospital to visit him. Now he wants to treat us to a meal. We would like to know whether sharing tableware with someone who has cirrhosis could lead to infection.
Doctor's answer (1)
Dr. Shen Yonghua
Sharing tableware with a person who has cirrhosis generally does not directly transmit cirrhosis. Cirrhosis itself is not a contagious disease; it is usually caused by various factors such as chronic hepatitis, long-term alcohol consumption, and metabolic disorders. Although viral hepatitis (e.g., hepatitis B and C) is one of the common causes of cirrhosis, and these viruses can be transmitted through blood, sexual contact, and from mother to child, transmission of hepatitis viruses through shared tableware is uncommon. If a person with cirrhosis also suffers from hepatitis A or E and the virus is present in their saliva, there could be a theoretical risk of transmission via shared tableware. Therefore, to reduce the risk of infection, it is recommended to use serving chopsticks, adopt individual servings, and maintain a healthy lifestyle.
