PATHOGNOMONIC SIGNS

DISEASE PATHOGNOMONIC SIGN

Cytomegalovirus (CMV)
Infection
owls eye appearance of cells (huge nucleus in cells
hence the name)
Hypocalcemia
Chvostek sign (tapping of facial nerve elicits
abnormal muscle contraction on other side of face)
Trousseau sign (occlusion of brachial artery induces
wrist spasm)
Tetanus risus sardonicus (sustained spasm of facial muscles)
Bulimia nervosa chipmunk facies (parotid gland swelling)
Leprosy leonine facies (thickened folded facial skin)
Measles
Kopliks spots (clustered white lesions on buccal
mucosa)
Diphtheria pseudomembranes in oral cavity
Pancreatitis
Cullens sign (ecchymosis around umbilicus)
Grey-Turners Sign (flank ecchymosis)
Cholera
rice water stool (murky watery stool with
sediments)
washer womans hands (wrinkled hands from
dehydration)
Typhoid Fever rose spots
Meningitis
Kernigs sign (bend hip and knee then flex the knee
produces pain)
Brudzinskis sign (pressure on the cheek flexes the
forearm)
Cholecystitis
Murphys sign (hesitation on inspiration if gall
bladder is palpated)
Angina Pectoris and MI Levines sign (clutching of fist on chest)
Patent Ductus Arteriosus machine-like murmur
Parkinsons Disease pill-rolling tremor
Pericarditis pericardial friction rub
Hodgkins Lymphoma &
Mononucleosis
Reed-Sternberg Cells (large multi-nucleated cells)
Rheumatic Fever Aschoff bodies (areas of inflammation in the heart)
Rabies hydrophobia
Acute Myelogenous Leukemia Auer rods (rod-like inclusions in bone marrow cells)
Chronic Obstructive
Pulmonary Disease
barrel-chested
Scarlet Fever & Kawasaki
Disease
strawberry tongue
Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
(SLE)
butterfly rash on the face
Appendicitis
McBurneys point (rebound tenderness)
Rovsing sign (palpation of LLQ elicits pain in RLQ)
Psoas sign (pain from flexing the thigh to the hip)
Thrombophlebitis
Homans sign (bend knee, dorsiflex ankle, pain at
popliteal area)
Pyloric Stenosis olive-shaped mass
Hyperthyroidism exophthalmos (protrusion of eyeballs)
Addisons Disease bronze-colored skin
Cushings Syndrome
buffalo hump at nape
moon face
Asthma wheezing
Choking holding of throat
Downs Syndrome single transverse palmar crease
Tetralogy of Fallot
ventricular septal defect
pulmonary stenosis
overriding aorta
right ventricular hypertrophy
Glaucoma tunnel vision
Retinal Detachment
flashes of light
shadow with curtain across vision
Myasthenia Gravis ptosis (drooping of eyelids)
Dengue Fever Hermans sign (petechial rash)
Amoebiasis bloody mucoid stool
Pertussis whoop sound from inspiration of air after cough
Pneumonia rusty sputum
Peritonitis rigid, board-like abdomen
Basilar Skull Fracture
raccoon eyes (periorbital ecchymosis)
Battles sign (mastoid ecchymosis)
Buergers Disease
intermittent claudication (pain at buttocks or legs
from poor circulation resulting in impaired walking)
Chickenpox vesiculopapular rash
Diabetic Ketoacidosis acetone breath
Pregnancy Induced
Hypertension
proteinuria
hypertension
edema
Diabetes Mellitus
polydipsia
polyphagia
polyuria
Gastroesophageal Reflux
Disease (GERD)
heartburn
Hirschsprungs Disease (Toxic
Megacolon)
ribbon-like stool
Volvulus and Intussusception currant jelly stool
Increase Intracranial Pressure Cushings Triad (increased BP, decrease RR & HR)
Leptospirosis orange eyes
Multiple Sclerosis descending paralysis
Guillaine-Barre Syndrome ascending paralysis
Oral Thrush/Candidiasis white spots on tongue
Osteoporosis kyphosis
Acute Renal Failure
azotemia (nitrogen compounds in urine)
uremic frost (urea deposits in skin)
uremic fetor (ammoniacal breath)

STD MALE FEMALE
Herpes Simples Type II painful vesicles on genitalia
Genital Warts warts 1-2mm in diameter
Syphilis painless chancres
Chancroid painful chancres
Gonorrhea green, creamy discharge and dysuria
Chlamydia milky discharge and dysuria
Trichomoniasis N/A
yellow, itchy, frothy, foul-
smelling vaginal discharges
Candidiasis N/A
white cheesy odorless
vaginal discharges