Infection control precautions by disease
From IDWiki
| 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 | 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) | 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 trachomatis (infant pneumonia) | Routine | ||
| Chlamydia pneumoniae | Routine | ||
| Cholera | 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 | 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 | Refer to Viral hemorrhagic fever | ||
| Echinococcosis | Routine | ||
| Echovirus | Refer to Enteroviral infection | ||
| Encephalitis or encephalomyelitis | 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) | 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) | Refer to Gastroenteritis | ||
| Gonococcal ophthalmia neonatorum | Routine | ||
| Gonorrhea | Routine | ||
| Granuloma inguinale | Routine | ||
| Guillain-Barré syndrome | Routine | Not an infectious disease | |
| Haemophilus influenzae | 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 (continent) | 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 | Refer to Viral hemorrhagic fever | ||
| Legionellosis | 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 | 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 meningitidis (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) | 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 | |
| Rickettsioses | Routine | Not transmitted human-to-human | |
| Rickettsialpox (vesicular) | Routine | Not transmitted person-to-person | |
| Ringworm | Routine | ||
| Rocky Mountain spotted fever | Routine | Not transmitted person-to-person | |
| Roseola infantum | Routine | ||
| Rotavirus (gastroenteritis) | Refer to Gastroenteritis (rotavirus) | ||
| Rubella | Droplet | 7 days after rash onset | |
| Salmonellosis (gastroenteritis) | 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) | 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 | |
| Staphylococcus 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) | Droplet + Contact | 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) | Airborne + 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) | 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) | Refer to Gastroenteritis | ||
| Vibrio parahaemolyticus (gastroenteritis) | Refer to Gastroenteritis | ||
| Vibrio vulnificus (gastroenteritis) | Refer to Gastroenteritis | ||
| Vincent angina | Routine | ||
| Viral hemorrhagic fever | Droplet + Contact | Duration of illness | |
| Yersinia enterocolitica (gastroenteritis) | 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 | |
