Source: Iowa Department of Public Health (1994).
CONCISE DESCRIPTIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR EXCLUSION OF CASES FROM SCHOOL
|
DISEASE * Immunization is available |
Usual interval between exposure & first symtoms of disease |
MAIN SYMTOMS |
Minimum exclusion from school |
|
CHICKENPOX |
13 to 17 days |
Mild symptoms and fever. Pocks are “blistery.” Develop scabs, most on covered parts of body. |
7 days from onset of pock or until pocks become dry. |
|
CONJUNCTIVITIS (Pink Eye) |
24 to 72 hours |
Tearing, redness and puffy lids, eye discharge. |
Until treatment begins or physician approves readmission. |
|
ERYTHEMIA INFECTIOSUM (5th Disease) |
4 to 20 days |
Usual age 5 to 14 years - unusual in adults. Brief prodrome of low-grade fever followed by Erythemia (slapped cheek) appearance on cheeks, lace-like rash on extremities lasting a few days to 3 weeks. Rash seems to recur. |
After diagnosis no exclusion from school. |
|
GERMAN MEASLES* (Rubella) |
14 to 23 days |
Usually mild. Enlarged glands in neck and behind ears. Brief red rash. |
7 days from onset of rash, keep away from pregnant women. |
|
HAEMOPHILUS MENINGITIS |
2 to 4 days |
Fever, vomiting, lethargy, stiff neck and back. |
Until physician permits return. |
|
HEPATITIS A |
Variable - 15 to 50 days (avg. 28 to 30 days) |
Abdominal pain, nausea, usually fever, skin and eyes may or may not turn yellow. |
14 days from onset of clinical disease and at least 7 days from onset of jaundice. |
|
IMPETIGO |
1 to 3 days |
Inflamed sores, with pus. |
48 hours after antibiotic therapy started or until physician permits return. |
|
MEASLES* |
10 days to fever 14 days to rash |
Begins with fever, conjunctivitis, runny nose, cough, then blotchy red rash. |
4 days from onset of rash. |
|
MENINGOCOCCAL MENINGITIS |
2 to 10 (commonly 3 to 4) days |
Headache, nausea, stiff neck, fever. |
Until physician permits return. |
|
MUMPS* |
12 to 25 (commonly 18) days |
Fever, swelling and tenderness of glands at angle of jaw. |
9 days after onset of swollen glands or until swelling disappears. |
|
PEDICULOSIS (Head/Body Lice) |
7 days for eggs to hatch |
Lice and nits (eggs) in hair. |
24 hours after adequate treatment to kill lice and nits. |
|
RINGWORM OF SCALP |
10 to 14 days |
Scaly patch, usually ring shaped, on scalp. |
No exclusion from school. Exclude from PE, swimming, contact sports. |
|
SCABIES |
2 to 6 weeks initial exposure; 1 to 4 days reexposure |
Tiny burrows in skin caused by mites. |
Until 24 hours after treatment. |
|
SCARLET FEVER SCARLATINA STREP THROAT |
1 to 3 days |
Sudden onset, vomiting, sore throat, fever, later fine rash (not on face). Rash usually only with first infection. |
24 hours after antibiotics started and no fever. |
|
WHOOPING COUGH* (Pertussis) |
7 to 10 days |
Head cold, slight fever, cough, characteristic whoop after about 2 weeks. |
5 days after starts of antibiotic treatment. |
Readmission to school -- It is advisable that school authorities require written permission from the health officer, school physician or attending physician before any pupil is readmitted to class following any disease which requires exclusion, not mere absence, from school.
Approved: 8/14/95
Reviewed: 11/15/21
Revised: 11/11/13
