Most are unaware of what is known as incubation period. It is basically associated with the exposure of the human body to pathogens or other abnormal changes like radiation. Know what is it exactly from the below write up.
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.
Incubation Period for Some Common Ailments
Disease | Incubation Period | Symptoms |
Strep Throat | 3 days. However, in some cases, it may be 2-5 days |
|
Infectious Mononucleosis | 4-8 weeks. The condition is also known as mononucleosis |
|
Common Cold | 2-5 |
|
Influenza | 2-5 days |
|
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 |
|
Rabies in Humans | A few months |
|
Bacterial Meningitis | 2 to 10 days |
|
Pink Eye | 12 hours to 36 hours (if the causal agent is a virus), and 1-3 days (if the causal agent is bacteria) |
|
Genital Herpes | 6-8 days |
|
HIV | Several years. It basically depends on the affected person |
|
Stomach flu | Ranges from 4 hours to about 1-2 days |
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Head Lice | 7-10 days, when the baby lice start feeding on the scalp |
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Chickenpox | 10-20 days |
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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!