View source for Infection control precautions by disease

{| class="wikitable"
! Disease or syndrome !! Type of precautions !! Duration !! Notes
|-
| Abscess (with significant drainage)
| Contact
| Until drainage controlled
|
|-
| Abscess (no significant drainage) || Routine || ||
|-
| [[Actinomycosis]]
| Routine
|
| Not transmitted person-to-person
|-
| [[Adenovirus]]
| colspan=3 | Refer to specific syndrome (e.g. gastroenteritis, conjunctivitis, or pneumonia)
|-
| [[Amoebiasis]]
| Routine
|
| Rarely transmitted person-to-person
|-
| [[Anthrax]] || Routine || ||
|-
| [[Anthrax]] (cutaneous)
| Routine
|
| Contact precautions if significant drainage
|-
| [[Anthrax]] (pulmonary)
| Routine
|
| Not transmitted person-to-person
|-
| Arthropod-borne viral encephalitis (e.g. ([[eastern equine encephlitis]], [[western equine encephalitis]], [[Venezuelan equine encephalitis]], [[ St. Louis encephalitis]], [[California encephalitis]], [[West Nile virus]])
| Routine
|
| Not transmitted person-to-person
|-
| Arthropod-borne viral fever (e.g. [[dengue]], [[yellow fever]], [[Colorado tick fever]])
| Routine
|
|
|-
| [[Ascariasis]]
| Routine
|
| Not transmitted person-to-person
|- 
| [[Aspergillosis]]
| Routine
|
| Can consider contact or airborne if large draining infection requiring repeat irrigations
|-
| [[Babesiosis]] || Routine || || Not transmitted person-to-person
|-
| [[Blastomycosis]] || Routine || || Not transmitted person-to-person
|-
| [[Botulism]] || Routine || || Not transmitted person-to-person
|-
| [[Botulism]] (food poisoning) || Routine || ||
|-
| [[Bronchiolitis]] || Contact || Duration of illness ||
|-
| [[Brucellosis]] || Routine || || Not transmitted person-to-person
|-
| [[Campylobacter species]] (gastroenteritis)
| colspan=3 | Refer to Gastroenteritis
|-
| [[Candidiasis]] || Routine || ||
|-
| [[Cat-scratch fever]] || Routine || || Not transmitted person-to-person
|-
| [[Cellulitis]] || Routine || ||
|-
| [[Chancroid]] || Routine || || Sexually transmitted
|-
| [[Chickenpox]] || || || Refer to Varicella
|-
| [[Chlamydia trachomatis]] (conjunctivitis) || Routine || ||
|-
| [[Chlamydia trachomatis]] (lymphogranuloma venereum) || Routine || ||
|-
| [[Chlamydia trachomatic]] (infant pneumonia) || Routine || ||
|-
| [[Chlamydia pneumoniae]] || Routine || ||
|-
| [[Cholera]]
| colspan=3 | Refer to Gastroenteritis
|-
| [[Clostridium botulinum]] || Routine || || Not transmitted person-to-person
|-
| [[Clostridium difficile]]
| Contact
| Duration of illness
| 
|-
| [[Clostridium perfringens]] (food poisoning) || Routine || ||
|-
| [[Clostridium perfringens]] (gas gangrene) || Routine || || Rarely transmitted person-to-person
|-
| [[Coccidioidomycosis]]
| Routine
|
| Not transmitted person-to-person
|-
| [[Colorado tick fever]]
| Routine
|
| Not transmitted person-to-person
|-
| [[Congenital rubella]]
| Contact
| Until 1 year of age
| Routine precautions if nasopharyngeal and urine cultures are repeatedly negative after 3 months of age
|-
| [[Conjunctivitis]] (bacterial)
| Routine
|
|
|-
| [[Conjuctivitis]] (viral)
| Contact
| Duration of illness
| Highly contageous
|-
| [[Coxsackie virus]]
|
|
| Refer to Enteroviral infection
|-
| [[Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease]]
| Routine
| 
| 
|-
| [[Croup]]
|
|
| Refer to Respiratory infections in infants and young children
|-
| [[Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever]]
|
|
| Refer to Viral hemorrhagic fever
|-
| [[Cryptococcosis]]
| Routine
|
| Not transmitted person-to-person
|-
| [[Cryptosporidiosis]]
| colspan=3 | Refer to Gastroenteritis
|-
| [[Cysticercosis]]
| Routine
|
| Not transmitted person-to-person
|-
| [[Cytomegalovirus]]
| Routine
|
|
|-
| [[Dengue]]
| Routine
|
| Not transmitted person-to-person
|-
| [[Diphtheria]] (cutaneous)
| Contact
| Until completed treatment and cultures negative
| Two cultures 24 hours apart
|-
| [[Diphtheria]] (pharyngeal)
| Droplet
| Until completed treatment and cultures negative
| Two cultures 24 hours apart
|-
| [[Ebola]]
| colspan=3 | Refer to Viral hemorrhagic fever
|-
| [[Echinococcosis]]
| Routine
|
|
|-
| [[Echovirus]]
| colspan=3 | Refer to Enteroviral infection
|-
| [[Encephalitis]] or [[encephalomyelitis]]
| colspan=3 | Refer to specific organism
|-
| [[Endometritis]]
| Routine
|
|
|-
| [[Enterobiasis]] (pinworm)
| Routine
|
|
|-
| [[Enterovirus]] (continent)
| Routine
| 
| 
|-
| [[Enterovirus]] (diapered or incontinent)
| Contact
| Duration of illness
|
|-
| [[Epiglottitis]] from [[Haemophilus influenzae]] type b
| Droplet
| 24 hours of effective therapy
|
|-
| [[Epstein-Barr virus]], including infectious mononucleosis
| Routine
| 
| 
|-
| [[Escherichia coli]] (gastroenteritis)
| colspan=3 | Refer to Gastroenteritis
|-
| Food poisoning (botulism, clostridial, staphylococcal)
| Routine
|
| Not transmitted person-to-person
|-
| Gangrene
| Routine
|
|
|-
| [[Gastroenteritis]] (continent)
| Routine
|
| 
|-
| [[Gastroenteritis]] (incontinent or diapered)
| Contact
| Duration of illness
| 
|-
| [[Gastroenteritis]] ([[norovirus]])
| Contact
| 48 hours after resolution of symptoms
| 
|-
| [[Gastroenteritis]] ([[rotavirus]])
| Contact
| Duration of illness
|
|-
| [[Giardia lamblia]] (gastroenteritis)
| colspan=3 | Refer to Gastroenteritis
|-
| Gonococcal ophthalmia neonatorum
| Routine
|
|
|-
| [[Gonorrhea]]
| Routine
|
|
|-
| [[Granuloma inguinale]]
| Routine
|
|
|-
| [[Guillain-Barré syndrome]]
| Routine
|
| Not an infectious disease
|-
| [[Haemophilus influenzae]]
| colspan=3 | Refer to disease-specific recommendations
|-
| [[Hantavirus]] pulmonary syndrome
| Routine
|
| Not transmitted person-to-person
|-
| [[Helicobacter pylori]]
| Routine
|
|
|-
| [[Hepatitis A virus]]
| Routine
| 
| Consider vaccination as post-exposure prophylaxis
|-
| [[Hepatitis A virus]] (incontinent or diapered)
| Contact
| <3 years: duration of hospitalization; 3-14 years: 2 weeks after onset; >14 years: 1 week after onset
|
|-
| [[Hepatitis B virus]]
| Routine
|
|
|-
| [[Hepatitis C virus]]
| Routine
|
|
|-
| [[Hepatitis D virus]]
| Routine
|
|
|-
| [[Hepatitis E virus]]
| Routine
|
|
|-
| [[Hepatitis E virus (incontinent or diapered)
| Contact
| Duration of illness
|
|-
| [[Hepatitis G virus]]
| Routine
|
|
|-
| [[Hookworm]]
| Routine
|
|
|-
| [[Herpes simplex virus]] (encephalitis)
| Routine
|
|
|-
| [[Herpes simplex virus]] (disseminated, primary, or severe)
| Contact
| Until lesions dry and crusted
|
|-
| [[Herpes simplex virus]] (mucocutaneous recurrent)
| Routine
|
|
|-
| [[Herpes simplex virus]] (neonatal)
| Contact
| Until lesions dry and crsted
|
|-
| [[Herpes zoster virus]] (disseminated or immunocompromised)
| Airborne + contact
| Duration of illness
|
|-
| [[Herpes zoster virus]] (localized in immunocompetent)
| Routine
| 
|
|-
| [[Histoplasmosis]]
| Routine
|
| Not transmitted person-to-person
|-
| [[HIV]]
| Routine
|
| Sexually transmitted
|-
| [[Human metapneumovirus]]
| Contact
| Duration of illness
|
|-
| [[Impetigo]]
| Contact
| 24 hours of effective therapy
|
|-
| [[Infectious mononucleosis
| Routine
|
|
|-
| [[Influenza]] (seasonal)
| Droplet
| 7 days after onset or 24 hours asymptomatic (whichever longer)
|
|-
| [[Influenza]] (avian)
|
|
|
|-
| [[Influenza]] (pandemic)
| Droplet
|
|
|-
| [[Kawasaki syndrome]]
| Routine
|
| Not infectious
|-
| [[Lassa fever]]
| colspan=3 | Refer to Viral hemorrhagic fever
|-
| [[Lesionellosis]]
| Routine
|
| Not transmitted person-to-person
|-
| [[Leprosy]]
| Routine
|
|
|-
| [[Leptospirosis]]
| Routine
|
| Not transmitted person-to-person
|-
| [[Lice]] (head)
| Contact
| Until 24 hours of effective therapy
|
|-
| [[Lice]] (body)
| Routine
|
| Transmitted through clothing, so consider Contact precautions when undressing patient
|-
| [[Lice]] (pubic)
| Routine
|
| Sexually transmitted
|-
| [[Listeriosis]]
| Routine
|
| 
|-
| [[Lyme disease]]
| Routine
|
| Not transmitted person-to-person
|-
| [[Lymphocytic choriomeningitis]]
| Routine
|
| Not transmitted person-to-person
|-
| [[Lymphogranuloma venereum]]
| Routine
|
|
|-
| [[Malaria]]
| Routine
|
| Not transmitted person-to-person
|-
| [[Marburg virus]]
| colspan=3 | Refer to Viral hemorrhagic fever
|-
| [[Measles]]
| Airborne
| 4 days after onset of rash
|
|-
| [[Measles]] (immunocompromised)
| Airborne
| Duration of illness
|
|-
| [[Melioidosis]]
| Routine
|
| Not transmitted person-to-person
|-
| [[Meningitis]] (aseptic)
| Routine
|
| Contact for infants and young children
|-
| [[Meningitis]] (Gram-negative bacterial)
| Routine
|
|
|-
| [[Meningitis]] (fungal)
| Routine
|
|
|-
| [[Meningitis]] ([[Haemophilus influenzae]] type b)
| Droplet
| 24 hours of effective therapy
|
|-
| [[Meningitis]] ([[Listeria monocytogenes]])
| Routine
|
|
|-
| [[Meningitis]] ([[Neisseria meningitidis]])
| Droplet
| 24 hours of effective therapy
|
|-
| [[Meningitis]] ([[Streptococcus pneumoniae]])
| Routine
| 
|
|-
| [[Meningitis]] ([[Tuberculosis]])
| Routine
|
| Rule out pulmonary disease and draining adenitis
|-
| [[Meningitis]] (other bacteria)
| Routine
|
|
|-
| [[Molluscum contagiosum]]
| Routine
|
|
|-
| [[Monkeypox]]
| Airborne + Contact
| Airborne until smallpox ruled out; contact until lesions crusted
|
|-
| [[Mucormycosis]]
| Routine
|
|
|-
| Multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs) (e.g. MRSA, VRE, ESBL)
| Contact
|
| Based on local guidelines
|-
| [[Mumps]]
| Droplet
| 5 days after onset of swelling
|
|-
| [[Mycoplasma]] (pneumonia)
| Droplet
| Duration of illness
|
|-
| [[Necrotizing enterocolitis]]
| Routine
|
|
|-
| [[Neisseria meningitis]] (sepsis, pneumonia, or meningitis)
| Droplet
| 24 hours of effective therapy
| Contacts may need post-exposure prophylaxis
|-
| [[Nocardiosis]]
| Routine
|
| Not transmitted human-to-human
|-
| [[Non-tuberculous mycobacteria]]
| Routine
|
|
|-
| [[Norovirus]] (gastroenteritis)
| colspan=3 | Refer to Gastroenteritis
|-
| [[Orf]]
| Routine
|
|
|-
| [[Parainfluenza]] (respiratory in infants and young children)
| Contact
| Duration of illness
| Prolonged shedding in immunocompromised
|-
| [[Parvovirus B19]] (immunocompromised)
| Droplet
| Duration of hospitalization
|
|-
| [[Parvovirus B19]] (transient aplastic crisis)
| Droplet
| 7 days
|
|-
| [[Pertussis]]
| Droplet
| 5 days of effective therapy
| Single-patient room preferred; contacts may need post-exposure prophylaxis
|-
| [[Pinworm]]
| Routine
|
|
|-
| [[Pneumonia]] ([[adenovirus]]
| Droplet + Contact
| Duration of illness
|
|-
| [[Pneumonia]] (bacterial, not otherwise specified)
| Routine
|
|
|-
| [[Pneumonia]] ([[Chlamydia]])
| Routine
|
|
|-
| [[Pneumonia]] (fungal)
| Routine
|
|
|-
| [[Pneumonia]] ([[H. influenzae]] type b in adults)
| Routine
|
|
|-
| [[Pneumonia]] ([[H. influenzae]] type b in infants and children)
| Droplet
| 24 hours of effective therapy
|
|-
| [[Pneumonia]] ([[Legionella]])
| Routine
|
| Not transmitted person-to-person
|-
| [[Pneumonia]] ([[Neisseria meningitidis]])
| Droplet
| 24 hours of effective therapy
|
|-
| [[Pneumonia]] ([[Mycoplasma]])
| Droplet
| Duration of illness
|
|-
| [[Pneumonia]] ([[Streptococcus pneumoniae]])
| Routine
|
| Droplet precautions if nosocomial outbreak
|-
| [[Pneumonia]] ([[Pneumocystis jiroveci]])
| Routine
|
|
|-
| [[Pneumonia]] ([[Staphylococcus aureus]])
| Routine
|
|
|-
| [[Pneumonia]] ([[Group A Streptococcus]] in infants and young children)
| Droplet
| 24 hours of effective therapy
|
|-
| [[Pneumonia]] (viral in adults)
| Routine
|
|
|-
| [[Pneumonia]] (viral in infants and children)
| Contact
| Duration of illness
|
|-
| [[Poliomyelitis]]
| Contact
| Duration of illness
|
|-
| [[Pressure ulcer]]
| Routine
|
| Contact precautions if draining
|-
| [[Prion disease]]
| Routine
|
|
|-
| [[Psittacosis]]
| Routine
|
| Not transmitted person-to-person
|-
| [[Q fever]]
| Routine
|
|
|-
| [[Rabies]]
| Routine
|
| Very rare person-to-person transmission
|-
| [[Rat-bite fever]] ([[Streptobacillus moniliformis]] or [[Spirillum minus]])
| Routine
|
| Not transmitted person-to-person
|-
| [[Relapsing fever]]
| Routine
| 
| Not transmitted person-to-person
|-
| Respiratory infections (adults, not otherwise specified)
| Routine
|
|
|-
| Respiratory infection (infants and children, not otherwise specified)
| Contact
| Duration of illness
|
|-
| Respiratory infection (adults, not otherwise specified)
| Routine
|
|
|-
| [[Respiratory syncytial virus]] (infants, young children, and immunocompromised)
| Contact
| Duration of illness
| Immunocompromised patients may have prolonged shedding
|-
| [[Reye syndrome]]
| Routine
|
| Not an infectious disease
|-
| [[Rheumatic fever]]
| Routine
|
|
|-
| [[Rhinovirus]]
| Droplet
| Duration of illness
|
|-
| [[Ricketssioses]]
| Routine
|
| Not transmitted human-to-human
|-
| [[Ricketsialpox]] (vesicular)
| Routine
|
| Not transmitted person-to-person
|-
| [[Ringworm]]
| Routine
|
|
|-
| [[Rocky Mountain spotted fever]]
| Routine
|
| Not transmitted person-to-person
|-
| [[Roseola infantum]]
| Routine
|
|
|-
| [[Rotavirus]] (gastroenteritis)
| colspan=3 | Refer to Gastroenteritis (rotavirus)
|-
| [[Rubella]]
| Droplet
| 7 days after rash onset
|
|-
| [[Salmonellosis]] (gastroenteritis)
| colspan=3 | Refer to Gastroenteritis
|-
| [[Scabies]]
| Contact
| 24 hours of effective therapy
|-
| [[SARS coronavirus]]
| Airborne + droplet + contact
| 10 days after symptoms resolve
|
|-
| [[Schistosomiasis]]
| Routine
|
|
|-
| [[Shigella species]] (gastroenteritis)
| colspan=3 | Refer to Gastroenteritis
|-
| [[Smallpox]]
| Airborne + contact
| Until all scabs have crusted and separated
|
|-
| [[Sporotrichosis]]
| Routine
|
|
|-
| [[Staphylococcus aureus]] (food poisoning)
| Routine
|
|
|-
| [[Staphylococcus aureus]] (furunculosis)
| Routine
|
| Consider Contact precautions if uncontrolled drainage
|-
| [[Staphylococcus aureus]] (furunculosis in infants and young children)
| Contact
| Until no longer draining
| 
|-
| [[Staphylococcus aureus]] (pneumonia)
| Routine
|
|
|-
| [[Staphylococcus aureus]] (scalded skin syndrome)
| Contact
| Duration of illness
|
|-
| [[Staphylcoccus aureus]] (major soft tissue, wound, or burn)
| Contact
| Until drainage stops or is controlled
|
|-
| [[Staphylococcus aureus]] ([[toxic shock syndrome]])
| Routine
|
|
|-
| [[Streptococcus pyogenes]] (severe soft tissue)
| Contact + droplet
| 24 hours of effective therapy and drainage contained
|
|-
| [[Streptococcus pyogenes]] (minor soft tissue)
| Routine
|
| If drainage controlled
|-
| [[Streptococcus pyogenes]] (endometritis)
| Routine
|
|
|-
| [[Streptococcus pyogenes]] (pharyngitis in infants and young children)
| Droplet
| 24 hours of effective therapy
|
|-
| [[Streptococcus pyogenes]] (pneumonia)
| Droplet
| 24 hours of appropriate therapy
|
|-
| [[Streptococcus pyogenes]] (scarlet fever)
| Droplet
| 24 hours of appropriate therapy
|
|-
| [[Streptococcus pyogenes]] (invasive disease)
| Droplet
| 24 hours of effective therapy
|
|-
| [[Group B Streptococcus]] (neonatal)
| Routine
|
|
|-
| [[Strongyloidiasis]]
| Routine
|
|
|-
| [[Syphilis]]
| Routine
|
|
|-
| [[Tapeworm]] ([[Hymenolepis nana]])
| Routine
|
| Not transmitted person-to-person
|-
| [[Tapeworm]] ([[Taenia solium]])
| Routine
|
| 
|-
| [[Tapeworm]] (Other)
| Routine
|
|
|-
| [[Tetanus]]
| Routine
|
| Not transmitted person-to-person
|-
| [[Tinea]]
| Routine
|
| Rarely transmitted person-to-person
|-
| [[Toxoplasmosis]]
| Routine
|
| Generally not transmitted person-to-person
|-
| [[Toxic shock syndrome]] (staphylococcal)
| Routine
|
|
|-
| [[Toxic shock syndrome]] (streptococcal)
| Droplet
| 24 hours of effective therapy
|
|-
| [[Trachoma]]
| Routine
|
|
|-
| [[Trench mouth]]
| Routine
|
|
|-
| [[Trichinosis]]
| Routine
|
|
|-
| [[Trichomoniasis]]
| Routine
|
|
|-
| [[Trichuriasis]] (whipworm)
| Routine
| 
| 
|-
| [[Tuberculosis]] (draining lesion)
| Airborn + contact
| Until clinically improving and 3 negative cultures
| Rule out pulmonary disease

|-
| [[Tuberculosis]] (meningitis)
| Routine
|
| Rule out pulmonary disease and draining lesions
|-
| [[Tuberculosis]] (pulmonary or laryngeal)
| Airborne
|
|
|-
| [[Tuberculosis]] (latent)
| Routine
|
|
|-
| [[Tularemia]] (draining lesion)
| Routine
|
| Not transmitted person-to-person
|-
| [[Tularemia]] (pulmonary)
| Routine
| 
| Not transmitted person-to-person
|-
| [[Typhoid fever]] ([[Salmonella typhi]])
| colspan=3 | Refer to Gastroenterisi
|-
| [[Typhus]] (epidemic/louse-borne)
| Routine
|
|
|-
| [[Typhus]] (murine/flea-borne)
| Routine
|
| Not transmitted person-to-person
|-
| [[Urinary tract infection]] including [[pyelonephritis]]
| Routine
|
|
|-
| [[Vaccinia]] (vaccination site care)
| Routine
|
| Vaccinate healthcare workers
|-
| [[Vaccinia]] (eczema vaccinatum)
| Contact
| Until lesions are dry and crusted, and scabs separated
|
|-
| [[Vaccinia]] (fetal vaccinia)
| Contact
| Until lesions are dry and crusted, and scabs separated
|
|-
| [[Vaccinia]] (generalized vaccinia)
| Contact
| Until lesions are dry and crusted, and scabs separated
|
|-
| [[Vaccinia]] (progressive vaccinia)
| Contact
| Until lesions are dry and crusted, and scabs separated
|
|-
| [[Vaccinia]] (postvaccinia encephalitis)
| Routine
|
|
|-
| [[Vaccinia]] ([[blepharitis]] or [[conjunctivitis]])
| Contact
| Until drainage stops
|
|-
| [[Vaccinia]] ([[iritis]] or [[keratitis]])
| Routine
| 
|
|-
| [[Vaccinia]] ([[erythema multiforme]] or [[SJS]])
| Routine
| 
| Not infectious
|-
| [[Varicella zoster]]
| Airborne + contact
| Until lesions dry and crusted
| 
|-
| [[Varicella zoster]] (pneumonia in immunocompromised)
| Airborne + contact
| Duration of illness
|
|-
| [[Vibrio cholerae]] (gastroenteritis)
| colspan=3 | Refer to Gastroenteritis
|-
| [[Vibrio parahaemolyticus]] (gastroenteritis)
| colspan=3 | Refer to Gastroenteritis
|-
| [[Vibrio vulnificans]] (gastroenteritis)
| colspan=3 | Refer to Gastroenteritis
|-
| [[Vincent angina]]
| Routine
|
|
|-
| [[Viral hemorrhagic fever]]
| Droplet + Contact
| Duration of illness
|
|-
| [[Yersinia enterocolitica]] (gastroenteritis)
| colspan=3 | Refer to Gastroenteritis
|-
| [[Yersinia pestis]] (bubonic plague)
| Routine
|
|
|-
| [[Yersinia pestis]] (pneumonic plague)
| Droplet
| 48 hours of effective therapy
| Consider prophylaxis in healthcare workers
|-
| [[Zygomycosis]]
| Routine
|
| Not transmitted person-to-person
|}

== Further Reading ==
* [https://www.cdc.gov/infectioncontrol/guidelines/isolation/appendix/type-duration-precautions.html CDC infection control guidelines]