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Definition

noun

The period during which the clinical symptoms of the disease manifests

Supplement

The illness period is the third of the four major stages of infectious disease. The first is the incubation period followed by prodromal period. After prodromal is the illness period.

During the illness stage, symptoms characteristic of a particular disease are recognized. It is also at this stage that the infectious disease is highly communicable. When the patient overcomes the disease, the ensuing stage is the convalescent period.

Also called:

• illness stage

See also:

• incubation period
• prodromal period
• convalescent period