Definition:
- This guideline includes information about the transmission of common infections
- Incubation Period: Time interval between exposure to the infection and onset of symptoms
- Contagious Period: Time interval during which a sick child's disease is contagious to others. With precautions, children sometimes can return to day care and school before this period is over
- Infections that are not Contagious: Many common bacterial infections are not contagious (eg otitis media, sinusitis, urinary tract infection, pneumonia, and bacteremia). Sexually-transmitted diseases are not contagious to children unless there is sexual contact or shared bathing
DISEASE |
INCUBATION PERIOD (DAYS) |
CONTAGIOUS PERIOD (DAYS) |
Chickenpox |
10-21 |
2 days before rash until all sores have crusts - (6-7 days) |
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 rash gone (7 days) |
Roseola |
9-10 |
Onset of fever until rash gone (2 days |
Rubella (German measles) |
14-21 |
7 days before rash until rash gone (4 days) |
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
|
Skin Infections/Rashes:
Respiratory Infections:
DISEASE |
INCUBATION PERIOD (DAYS) |
CONTAGIOUS PERIOD (DAYS) |
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 cough 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 |
*see footnote 1 at bottom of the page |
|
|
Intestinal Infections:
DISEASE |
INCUBATION PERIOD (DAYS) |
CONTAGIOUS PERIOD (DAYS) |
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) |
Hepatitis B |
50-180 |
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:
DISEASE |
INCUBATION PERIOD (DAYS) |
CONTAGIOUS PERIOD (DAYS) |
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 |
*Footnotes:
- Cold sores: younger than 6 years, contagious until cold sores are dry, 4-5 days. (No isolation if sores are on part of body that can be covered.) More than 6 years old, no isolation necessary if beyond touching, picking stage.
- Diarrhea Precautions: Contagious until stools are formed. Stay home until fever is gone, diarrhea is mild, blood and mucus are gone, and toilet-trained child has control over loose BMs. Shigella and E-coli 0157 require extra precautions.