Incubation period is simply defined as a period that falls between the time of exposure to an infection to the time when the first symptoms and signs start showing up. For instance, if I were infected by the cold virus on day 1, and the symptoms start surfacing on day 4, that means the incubation period is 2 days. For some conditions, this very period may be as short as a few minutes, but for some, it may extend up to even 30 years! Below is a table that has listed out some of the most common medical conditions and their incubation periods, accompanied by the symptoms they exhibit.
| Disease |
Incubation Period |
Symptoms |
| Strep Throat |
3 days. However, in some cases, it may be 2-5 days |
- Early symptom is throat pain
- Difficulty in swallowing food, and sometimes even water
- Swollen tonsils
- Tiny red spots on the soft or the hard palate
- Fever, headache, skin rash, fatigue and vomiting
|
| Infectious Mononucleosis |
4-8 weeks. The condition is also known as mononucleosis |
- Weakness, fever, fatigue, headache and skin rash
- Sore throat, swollen tonsils
- Poor feeding, night sweats, swollen lymph nodes
- Swollen spleen
|
| Common Cold |
2-5 |
- Runny nose, that is accompanied by itchy throat
- Nasal congestion, cough
- Sneezing, body aches, headache of lower degree
- Watery eyes, mild fever
- Fatigue
|
| Influenza |
2-5 days |
- Early symptom is fever (temperature over 38 degree Celsius)
- Headache, accompanied by chills and sweats
- Dry cough
- Fatigue, weakness and body aches
- Nasal congestion
|
| Swine Flu |
1 or 2 days. In many cases of in the United States, the incubation period was found to be of 2 to 7 days |
- Loss of appetite and tiredness
- Sore throat, runny nose and headache
- Shortness of breath
- Body pain
|
| Rabies in Humans |
A few months |
- Early symptoms of rabies in humans include cough, sore throat and headache
- Seizures and hallucinations are observed in later stages of rabies
|
| Bacterial Meningitis |
2 to 10 days |
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Cramps in stomach
- Pain in muscles and joints
|
| Pink Eye |
12 hours to 36 hours (if the causal agent is a virus), and 1-3 days (if the causal agent is bacteria) |
- Itchiness and redness of the whites of the eyes
- Feeling as if something is stuck inside the eyes
- Discharge from one or both the eyes
- Excessive tearing, accompanied by a stinging feeling when the eyes are exposed to bright light
|
| Genital Herpes |
6-8 days |
- The genital areas may develop red bumps or blisters. These may also be seen in the anal regions and nearby areas
- The blisters may itch or be painful
|
| HIV |
Several years. It basically depends on the affected person |
- Fever, sore throat, skin rash and headache.
- With time, these symptoms may progress to diarrhea, weight loss, cough, difficulty in breathing and swollen lymph nodes
- Symptoms at a later stage may include blurred vision, fatigue (persistent), headache, long-lasting diarrhea, development of white lesions in the mouth, fever above 38 degree Celsius
- Night sweats
|
| Stomach flu |
Ranges from 4 hours to about 1-2 days |
- Nausea, vomiting
- Diarrhea, dehydration
- Abdominal pain and cramps
- Muscle aches, fever (low-grade) and chills
- General fatigue
|
| Head Lice |
7-10 days, when the baby lice start feeding on the scalp |
- Obvious symptoms include excessive itching, and tickling feeling of movements of hair.
- Visible lice on the clothing, scalp or other parts of the body
- Occurrence of small, red, raised bumps that can be felt on the scalp, neck and shoulders
|
| Chickenpox |
10-20 days |
- Development of itchy rash, similar to insect bites on parts such as face, chest, scalp, etc.
- Formation of blisters, filled with liquid
- Fever, mild headache, dry cough, abdominal pain and poor feeding
|
So there you have a quick list to refer to in case you seek information on the incubation period of some common medical conditions. Take care!
