PATHOGNOMONIC SIGNS

DISEASE PATHOGNOMONIC SIGN

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