| DISEASE |
INCUBATION PERIOD
(DAYS) |
CONTAGIOUS PERIOD
(DAYS) |
| Skin Infections/Rashes: |
| Chickenpox |
10-21 |
2 days before rash until all sores have crusts (6 - 7days) |
| Fifth disease (Erythema infectiosum) |
4-14 |
7 days before rash until rash begins |
| Hand, foot, and mouth disease |
3-6 |
Onset of mouth ulcers until fever gone |
| Impetigo (strep or staph) |
2-5 |
Onset of sores until 24 hours on antibiotic |
| Lice |
7 |
Onset of itch until 1 treatment |
| Measles |
8-12 |
4 days before rash until 4 days after rash appears |
| Roseola |
9-10 |
Onset of fever until rash gone (2 days) |
| Rubella (German measles) |
14-21 |
7 days before rash until 5 days after rash appears |
| Scabies |
30-45 |
Onset of rash until 1 treatment |
| Scarlet fever |
3-6 |
Onset of fever or rash until 24 hours on antibiotic |
| Shingles (contagious for chicken pox) |
14-16 |
Onset of rash until all sores have crusts (7 days) (Note: No need to isolate if sores can be kept covered.) |
| Warts |
30-180 |
Minimally contagious |
| Respiratory Infections: |
| Bronchiolitis |
4-6 |
Onset of cough until 7 days |
| Colds |
2-5 |
Onset of runny nose until fever gone |
| Cold sores (herpes) |
2-12 |
Footnote 1 |
| Coughs (viral) or croup (viral) |
2-5 |
Onset of cough until fever gone |
| Diphtheria |
2-5 |
Onset of sore throat until 4 days on antibiotic |
| Influenza |
1-2 |
Onset of symptoms until fever gone |
| Sore throat, strep |
2-5 |
Onset of sore throat until 24 hours on antibiotic |
| Sore throat, viral |
2-5 |
Onset of sore throat until fever gone |
| Tuberculosis |
6-24 months |
Until 2 weeks on drugs (Note: Most childhood TB is not contagious.) |
| Whooping cough |
7-10 |
Onset of runny nose until 5 days on antibiotic |
| Intestinal Infections: |
| Diarrhea, bacterial |
1-5 |
Footnote 2 for Diarrhea Precautions |
| Diarrhea, giardia |
7-28 |
Footnote 2 for Diarrhea Precautions |
| Diarrhea, traveler's |
1-6 |
Footnote 2 for Diarrhea Precautions |
| Diarrhea, viral (Rotavirus) |
1-3 |
Footnote 2 for Diarrhea Precautions |
| Hepatitis A |
14-50 |
2 weeks before jaundice begins until jaundice resolved (7 days) |
| Pinworms |
21-28 |
Minimally contagious, staying home is unnecessary |
| Vomiting, viral |
2-5 |
Until vomiting stops |
| |
|
|
| Other Infections: |
| Infectious mononucleosis |
30-50 |
Onset of fever until fever gone (7 days) |
| Meningitis, bacterial |
2-10 |
7 days before symptoms until 24 hours on IV antibiotics in hospital |
| Mumps |
12-25 |
5 days before swelling until swelling gone (7 days) |
| Pinkeye without pus (viral) |
1-5 |
Mild infection, staying home is unnecessary |
| Pinkeye with pus (bacterial) |
2-7 |
Onset of pus until 1 day on antibiotic eyedrops |
