What is the incubation period for psittacosis?

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Multiple Choice

What is the incubation period for psittacosis?

Psittacosis is contracted from birds, and the time from exposure to symptom onset is not immediate. The incubation period is typically about one to two weeks after exposure, often described as 5–14 days and can extend up to around three weeks in some cases. So a window of one to four weeks after exposure best covers the usual range. Shorter timeframes like 24–48 hours or 1–4 days are too rapid for this illness, and several months is far outside the expected latency. Knowing this helps when tracing exposures from bird sources and planning monitoring for those exposed.

Psittacosis is contracted from birds, and the time from exposure to symptom onset is not immediate. The incubation period is typically about one to two weeks after exposure, often described as 5–14 days and can extend up to around three weeks in some cases. So a window of one to four weeks after exposure best covers the usual range. Shorter timeframes like 24–48 hours or 1–4 days are too rapid for this illness, and several months is far outside the expected latency. Knowing this helps when tracing exposures from bird sources and planning monitoring for those exposed.

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