Incubation Times for Diseases

Infectious Disease Incubation Chart

Disease

Incubation Period

Contagious Period

Skin infections

in Days

in Days

Chicken Pox

14-16 days

2 days before rash until all sores have crusts

Fifth Disease (Erythema Infectiosum)

10-14 days

7 days before rash until rash begins

Hand Foot and Mouth Disease

3-6 days

Onset of mouth ulcers until fever gone

Impetigo

2-5 days

Onset of sores until 24 hours on antibiotic

Lice

7 days

Onset of itch until one treatment

Measles

10-12 days

4 days before rash until rash gone (7 days)

Roseola

10-15 days

Onset of fever until rash gone (2 days)

Rubella (German Measles)

14-21 days

7 days before rash until rash gone (4 days)

Scabies

30 days

Onset of rash until 1 treatment

Scarlet fever

3-6 days

Onset of fever or rash until 24 hours on antibiotics

Shingles-contagious for Chicken pox

14-16 days

Onset of rash until all sores are crusted (7 days)

Warts

30-180 days

minimally contagious

Respiratory infections

 

 

Bronchiolitis

4-6 days

Onset of cough until 7 days

Colds

2-5 days

Onset of runny nose until fever gone

Cold sores (herpes)

2-12 days

<6 years-stay home until sores are dry (5 days)

Coughs (viral)

2-5 days

Onset of cough until fever gone

Croup (viral)

2-6 days

Onset of cough until fever gone

Diphtheria

2-5 days

Onset of sore throat until 4 days on antibiotics

Influenza

1-2 days

Onset of cough until fever gone

Strep Sore throat

2-5 days

Onset of spre throat until 24 hours on antibiotics

Viral sore throat

2-5 days

Onset of sore throat until fever gone

Tuberculosis

14-70 days

Until 2 weeks on drugs(most childhood TB is not contagious

Whooping cough

7-10 days

Onset of runny nose until 5 days on antibiotics

Intestinal Infections

 

 

Diarrheal, bacterial

1-5 days

<6 yrs. Stay home, > 6 yrs return if BM control and no fever

Diarrhea, giardia

7-21 days

same

Diarrhea, Traveler's

1-6 days

same

Diarrhea, viral (Rotavirus)

1-3 days

same

Hepatitis A

14-50 days

2 weeks before jaundice begins until jaundice resolves

Hepatitis B

50-180 days

 

Pinworms

21-28 days

minimally infectious

Vomiting, viral

2-5 days

Until vomiting stops

Other Infections

 

 

Infectious mononucleosis

30-50 days

Onset of fever until fever gone (7 days)

Meningitis, bacterial

2-10 days

7 days before symptoms until 24 hours of IV antibiotics

Mumps

16-18 days

5 days before swelling until swelling gone (7 days)

Conjunctivitis, viral

1-5 days

Until redness resolves

Conjunctivitis, bacterial

2-7 days

Onset of discharge from eye until 1 day of antibiotics

Reviewed 5/1/2024