Symptoms can develop within a few days or weeks, but sometimes they do not appear until months or even years later. Often there are few or no symptoms and you may not know you have an STI. If there's any chance you have an STI, go to a sexual health clinic or GP for a free and confidential check-up.
Depending on the specific pathogen (disease-causing organism) symptoms of STD may appear within four to five days — or four to five weeks. Some infections might yield noticeable symptoms even months after the initial infection.
Symptoms can develop within a few days or weeks, but sometimes they do not appear until months or even years later. Often there are few or no symptoms and you may not know you have an STI. If there's any chance you have an STI, go to a sexual health clinic or GP for a free and confidential check-up.
Chlamydia: Symptoms of Chlamydia usually appear 1- 2 weeks after sexual intercourse, but can appear a lot later on in some cases. It is also important to note that 50% of men and 70% of women who are infected with Chlamydia do not experience any symptoms.
Chlamydia Incubation Period: The incubation period of Chlamydia ranges between 7 and 21 days for those who will show related symptoms. Chlamydia Window Period: the window period of chlamydia is between 1 and 5 days.
Chlamydia. A doctor can test for chlamydia by swabbing the vagina, cervix, rectum, or throat, or by taking a urine sample. If symptoms appear, they usually present within 7–21 days of exposure. A test can normally detect chlamydia within 1–2 weeks of exposure.
You're having unprotected sex.
Here's how long after exposure we can get a reliable test result: 2 weeks: gonorrhea and chlamydia (and a pregnancy test too!) 1 week to 3 months: syphilis. 6 weeks to 3 months: HIV, hepatitis C and B.
As long as you're sexually active, you should be tested for STDs at least once a year. If you have more than one partner, share intravenous (IV) needles, or don't always practice safer sex by using a condom each time you have intercourse, you should be tested every three to six months.
If 2 people who don't have any STDs have sex, it's not possible for either of them to get one. A couple can't create an STD from nothing — they have to get spread from one person to another.
CDC. (2021, Jan). CDC estimates 1 in 5 people in the U.S. have a sexually transmitted infection.
The ECP (emergency contraceptive pill) can be taken up to 72 hours (3 days) after unprotected sex, but new research shows it's effective up to four days after sex. We say the sooner you take it, the better, so make an appointment at Family Planning or with your doctor as soon as possible.
Reliable test results can be obtained as soon as one week after exposure for gonorrhea and chlamydia, 2 weeks to 3 months for syphilis and 2 weeks to 3 months for HIV, Hepatitis C, and Hepatitis B. If you believe you have been exposed to HIV or hepatitis B seek care immediately.
Symptoms of gonorrhoea usually develop within about 2 weeks of being infected, although they sometimes do not appear until many months later. About 1 in 10 infected men and 5 in 10 infected women will not experience any obvious symptoms, which means the condition can go untreated for some time.
In as little as one day, chlamydia may show up in your system, but testing should be done at least five days after exposure. It is recommended you retest two weeks after treatment to make sure you are free of the infection.
Men rarely have health problems from chlamydia. The infection can cause a fever and pain in the tubes attached to the testicles. This can, in rare cases, lead to infertility. Untreated chlamydia may also increase your chances of getting or giving HIV.
Most people who have chlamydia don't notice any symptoms.
If you do get symptoms, these usually appear between 1 and 3 weeks after having unprotected sex with an infected person. For some people they don't develop until many months later. Sometimes the symptoms can disappear after a few days.
Practice Abstinence
The surest way to avoid STDs is to not have sex. This means not having vaginal, oral, or anal sex.
Signs of STD symptoms in women:
Discharge (thick or thin, milky white, yellow, or green leakage from the vagina) Vaginal itching. Vaginal blisters or blisters in the genital area (the region covered by underwear) Vaginal rash or rash in the genital area.
How soon after I had sex can I get tested for STDs? It depends. It can take 3 months for HIV to show up on a test, but it only takes a matter of days to a few weeks for STDs like gonorrhea, chlamydia, and syphilis to show up. Practicing safer sex lowers your chances of getting or spreading STDs.
At least once a year for syphilis, chlamydia, and gonorrhea. Those who have multiple or anonymous partners should be tested more frequently (e.g., every 3 to 6 months). At least once a year for HIV and may benefit from more frequent HIV testing (e.g., every 3 to 6 months).
How often should I get tested for STIs? If you're sexually active, it's a good idea to get tested for STIs every time you change partners – and to ask your partner to do the same. Otherwise, it's a good idea to get a check-up for STIs once a year, or whenever you develop new symptoms.
Secret tests can be harmful to your mental health and to your relationship. They can make you ruminate about your problems, make up scenarios in which your partner fails, and then stress about whether your partner is going to live up to your expectations.
Further, testing should be done every three to six months if one's sexual network is open — e.g. casual sex with multiple and/or anonymous partners. If an individual is unsure of the sexual networks of their partners, then they should test every three to six months as well.