Some incubation periods only last a few days, while others can last weeks or months.
It is also possible to never have any symptoms at all.
Chlamydia
Chlamydiais an extremely common STI due to the bacteriumChlamydia trachomatis.
Verywell
It is readily passed through vaginal, anal, and oral sex but doesn’t necessarily cause any symptoms.
The incubation period of chlamydia is roughly seven to 21 days from the time of exposure.
Gonorrhea
Gonorrheais a common STI triggered by the bacteriumNeisseria gonorrhoeae.
Syphilis infection occurs in stages.
The incubation period for this stage is around three weeks but can span anywhere from 10 to 90 days.
After the primary infection clears, the infection will go into a period of latency (dormancy).
Chancroid
Chancroidis an uncommon STI resulting from theHaemophilus ducreyibacterium.
Trichomoniasis
Trichomoniasisis an STI due to a one-celled parasite known asTrichomonas vaginalis.
Both males and females can get trichomoniasis, but the infection is often asymptomatic (in males especially).
In females, trichomoniasis may cause vaginal itchiness and discharge with a fishy smell.
The incubation period of trichomoniasis is between five and 28 days.
When the larvae hatch, they cause an itchy rash.
If youve never had scabies before, the incubation period may be anywhere from two to six months.
If you were previously infected, symptoms may show up after one to four days.
Genital Warts
Genital warts are brought on by a low-risk strain of thehuman papillomavirus (HPV).
HPV generally has a very long incubation period, so it may be months or years beforegenital wartsappear.
Not all strains of HPV cause genital warts.
Less commonly ananal Pap testmay be performed if you have anal warts.
The HPV strains associated with genital warts generally do not cause cancer.
Genital Herpes
Genital herpesis sparked by the herpes simplex virus (HSV).
Many people with HSV are asymptomatic and may not even realize that they’ve been infected.
Even so, they can pass the infection on to others.
Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)
HIVis the human immunodeficiency virus.
HIV infection progresses in stages as the virus gradually depletes disease-fighting immune cells.
Over time, this leaves the body vulnerable toopportunistic infections.
The initial stage, called acute seroconversion, can cause flu-like symptoms or no symptoms at all.
Without treatment, a person diagnosed with AIDS has a survival time of roughly two years.
Hepatitis B can cause chronic liver inflammation that can lead to liver damage.
Hepatitis B is often asymptomatic in the early stages.
A small percentage will go on to developliver cirrhosis,liver failure, orliver canceryears down the line.
Molluscum Contagiosum
Molluscum contagiosumis a throw in of virus that can be sexually transmitted.
Symptoms include an outbreak of smooth, pearly-white bumps on the skin.
Many, but not all, cases of molluscum in adults are triggered by sexual contact.
Molluscum is also very common among children due to close contact with classmates and siblings.
How STIs Are Diagnosed
Doctors diagnose different STIs in different ways.
For example,urine testscan detect gonorrhea and chlamydia, whereasblood testsdetect syphilis, herpes, and HIV.
Testing for other infections requires genital swabs.
A lack of symptoms is no guarantee that you dont have an STI.
You may be infected and be able to transmit the disease to your sexual partners.
Thats why there is no substitute forregular screening.
With some STIs, a test can return an accurate diagnosis within a few weeks.
Others may require you to wait for months before the test can accurately detectantibodiesand other markers of infection.
Testing prematurely within the window period can increase the risk of afalse-negativeresult.
This means that you have been infected even if the test says you haven’t.
In addition, some STIs may not cause symptoms at all.
That means you may be infected but be unaware of it.
Thats why regular STI testing is essential.
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U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Sexually transmitted infections.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.About gonorrhea.
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Agharbi FZ.Chancroid.Pan Afr Med J.
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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.About trichomoniasis.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.DPDx - Scabies.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Symptoms of scabies.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.About genital HPV infection.
NYU Langone Health.Types of human papillomavirus.
National Cancer Institute at the National Institutes of Health.HPV and cancer.
2018;19(11):30715. doi:10.31557/APJCP.2018.19.11.3071
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Basic information about HPV and cancer.
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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.About HIV.
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