TABLE 56.2.
Common Infections, by Incubation Periods
| Disease | Usual Incubation Period (Range) | Distribution |
|---|---|---|
| Incubation <14 days | ||
| Malaria, Plasmodium falciparum | 6–30 days | Tropics, subtropics, highest risk in sub-Saharan Africa |
| Dengue | 4–8 days (3–14 days) | Tropics, subtropics |
| Chikungunya | 2–4 days (1–14 days) | Tropics, subtropics (eastern hemisphere) |
| Zika | 3–14 days | Tropics, subtropics |
| Spotted fever rickettsiae | Few days to 2–3 weeks | Widespread, causative species vary by region |
| Leptospirosis | 7–12 days (2–26 days) | Widespread; most common in tropical areas |
| Enteric fever | 7–18 days (3–60 days) | Especially in Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia |
| Malaria, P. vivax | 8–30 days (often >1 month to 1 year) | Widespread in tropics/subtropics |
| Influenza | 1–3 days | Worldwide; can also be acquired en route |
| Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) | 5 days (2–14 days) | Middle East |
| Acute human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) | 10–28 days (10 days to 6 weeks) | Worldwide |
| Legionellosis | 5–6 days (2–10 days) | Widespread |
| Encephalitis, arboviral (e.g., Japanese encephalitis, tickborne encephalitis, West Nile virus, other) | 3–14 days (1–20 days) | Specific agents vary by region |
| Incubation 14 Days to 6 Weeks | ||
| Malaria, enteric fever, leptospirosis | See above incubation periods for relevant diseases | See above distribution for relevant diseases |
| Hepatitis A | 28–30 days (15–50 days) | Most common in developing countries |
| Hepatitis E | 26–42 days (2–9 weeks) | Widespread |
| Acute schistosomiasis (Katayama syndrome) | 4–8 weeks | Most common after travel to sub-Saharan Africa |
| Amebic liver abscess | Weeks to months | Most common in developing countries |
| Incubation >6 Weeks | ||
| Malaria, amebic liver abscess, hepatitis E, hepatitis B | See above incubation periods for relevant diseases | See above distribution for relevant diseases |
| Tuberculosis | Primary, weeks; reactivation, years | Global distribution; rates and levels of resistance vary widely |
| Leishmaniasis, visceral | 2–10 months (10 days to years) | Asia, Africa, South America |
Adapted from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. CDC Health Information for International Travel 2016. New York. By permission of Oxford University Press, USA.