Do you think you may have been exposed to a sexually transmitted disease (STD) or sexually transmitted infection (STI)? Find out more about STDs/STIs, possible symptoms, and how to protect yourself and your partner(s).
Do you think you may have been exposed to a sexually transmitted disease (STD) or sexually transmitted infection (STI)? Find out more about STDs/STIs, possible symptoms, and how to protect yourself and your partner(s).
STDs/STIs are caused by bacteria, viruses, or parasites. Some common STDs/STIs include chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, human papillomavirus (HPV), hepatitis, herpes, and HIV. STDs/STIs are spread by sexual contact with the genitals (e.g., penis or vagina), mouth, anus, or bodily fluids like blood, semen, or saliva. If you or your partner(s) have an STD/STI, you can pass it to others through anal, oral, or vaginal sex, or other sexual activities where the genitals touch.
Many STDs/STIs have the same symptoms, which might include:
STDs/STIs have a range of symptoms, but it’s important to know that some STDs/STIs don’t have symptoms. This is why you can still get an STD/STI from another person who doesn’t have symptoms and may not even know they’re infected.
Depending on the STD/STI, symptoms could appear after a few days, weeks, or months, or never appear at all. The term “incubation period” refers to the time between exposure to an infection and when symptoms first appear. There are some STDs/STIs that have shorter incubation periods (i.e., symptoms tend to appear after a few days or weeks), including chlamydia, gonorrhea, and herpes. Others, like hepatitis A and B, have longer incubation periods.
| STD/STI | Incubation Period |
| Gonorrhea | 1–14 days |
| Herpes | 2–7 days |
| Chlamydia | 7–21 days |
| Syphilis | 10–90 days |
| HPV | 14–240 days |
| Hepatitis C | 15–50 days |
| Hepatitis A | 28 days |
| Hepatitis B | 60–150 days |
The only way to know for sure if you have an STD/STI is to get tested. Providers may not always ask whether or how you are sexually active, especially if you’re over 50. You’ll want to talk openly and honestly with your provider about your current and recent sexual activity so that they know what tests may be right for you.
Anyone who is sexually active can get an STD/STI at any age. The only way to prevent getting an STD/STI is to not be sexually active. To reduce the chances of getting an STD/STI, use a condom every time you have sex and talking to your partner(s) about STDs/STIs. Other ways to lower your risk are limiting how many people you have sex with, getting vaccinated for HPV, hepatitis A, and hepatitis B, and getting tested once a year for chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis, or every 3-to-6 months if you have multiple partners. Because you may not always experience symptoms, getting tested regularly helps prevent unknowingly passing an infection to your partner(s). Make sure to talk about your sexual history and STD/STI status before you have sex with a new partner.
If you’ve had condomless sex, you might also want to consider DoxyPEP to help prevent bacterial STDs/STIs like syphilis, chlamydia, and gonorrhea. It’s most effective when taken soon after sex—think of it as a morning-after pill but for bacterial STDs/STIs instead of pregnancy. DoxyPEP does not prevent viral infections such as HIV, mpox, herpes, or hepatitis.
Currently, vaccines are only available to protect against HPV, hepatitis A, and hepatitis B. Ask your health care provider if these vaccinations are right for you.
Some STDs/STIs, including gonorrhea, chlamydia, and syphilis, are curable with treatment, while others, like HPV, HIV, herpes, and hepatitis, don’t have a cure, but treatments can control symptoms and prevent complications.
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