Definition of subclinical disease

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Subclinical disease: An illness that stays below the surface of clinical

detection. A subclinical disease has no recognizable clinical findings.

It is distinct from a clinical disease, which has signs and symptoms

that can be recognized. Many diseases, including diabetes,

hypothyroidism, and rheumatoid arthritis, can be subclinical before

surfacing as clinical diseases.

Source:

http://www.medterms.com/script/main/Art.asp?li=MNI & ArticleKey=5578

subclinical -

Without clinical manifestations, said of the early stage of an infection

or other disease or abnormality before symptoms and signs become

apparent or detectable by clinical examination or laboratory tests or of

a very mild form of an infection or other disease or abnormality.

Source:

http://cancerweb.ncl.ac.uk/cgi-bin/omd?query=subclinical