What STD can take years to show up?

How Long Does It Take for an STD to Show Up?
  • Gonorrhea – One to 28 days.
  • Genital and oral herpes – Two to 12 days.
  • Trichomoniasis – Five to 28 days.
  • Chlamydia – One to three weeks.
  • HIV – Two to four weeks.
  • Hepatitis B – Eight to 22 weeks.
  • HPV – One month to 10 years.
  • Syphilis – Three weeks to 20 years.


What STD can you have for years and not know?

Chlamydia is one of the most common STIs in women under 25 and is known as a “silent” infection, since most people never experience symptoms.

Can some STDs take years to show up?

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.


What STD can be dormant for years?

The most important STD to test for in this regard is HIV, which can lie dormant for many years. Anyone who has ever had unprotected sex should consider getting this blood test. Another important test is RPR/VDRL, the test for syphilis.

Can an STD show up 7 years later?

Several of the more than 20 types of STDs can lie dormant for months, years, or even decades. Dormant STDs and STIs highlight the importance of sexual health testing, as only a test can determine if an asymptomatic infection is present.


How Soon Can STD Symptoms Appear?



Can chlamydia lie dormant for 10 years?

Although some symptoms can appear within weeks of contact, there have been reports of chlamydia remaining dormant for over twenty years. If you have had recent sexual contact and wonder about chlamydia infections, don't hesitate to test.

Why are my STD results taking so long?

In the case of an initial positive, they run a retest (a differential) assuring false-positives aren't sent out. A delay in chlamydia and gonorrhea tests could be due to a lack of materials to sample. Some require the sample to get sent out to a second lab with more specialized equipment.

Whats the longest amount of time before a STD shows up?

The time from exposure to when symptoms appear can range from a few days to as long as six months. In addition, some STIs may not cause symptoms at all. That means you may be infected but be unaware of it. That's why regular STI testing is essential.


What happens if an STD goes untreated for years?

Increased risk of organ damage, disease, and cancer

Untreated STDs can grow unchecked for years in your body and cause potentially serious or deadly diseases to develop. For example, someone with HPV can get cervical or anal cancer, while syphilis can cause blindness, dementia, and heart or kidney damage.

Can you have chlamydia for 20 years with no symptoms?

Symptoms can occur within 2-14 days after infection. However, a person may have chlamydia for months, or even years, without knowing it.

What STD is sometimes called the silent STD?

Some refer to chlamydia as a “silent” infection. This is because most people with the infection have no symptoms or abnormal physical exam findings.


How long can a STD go undetected?

Some STDs have symptoms, but many don't, so they can go unnoticed for a long time. For example, it can take more than 10 years for HIV symptoms to show up, and infections like herpes, chlamydia, and gonorrhea can be spread even if there are no symptoms.

Can a dormant STD be detected?

Even though they are generally asymptomatic or dormant, they will still test positive for the STD. Most STDs that are in a dormant stage can be detected with a test. Even though the STD is asymptomatic doesn't mean that it is not present in your system or that it can not be spread through sexual contact.

How long can syphilis go undetected?

If untreated, an infected person will progress to the latent (hidden) stage of syphilis. After the secondary-stage rash goes away, the person will not have any symptoms for a time (latent period). The latent period may be as brief as 1 year or range from 5 to 20 years.


Do positive chlamydia results take longer?

Urine tests take about 2 to 5 days to show a positive (you have it) or negative (you don't have it) result. Blood tests can come back with results in a few minutes if the blood is analyzed on site. But they can take a week or more if sent to an off-site lab.

How do you deal with STD anxiety?

Some helpful STI coping tips may include:
  1. remember that you're not alone.
  2. implement a self-care practice.
  3. improve your overall health and wellness.
  4. use available support resources.
  5. consume more sex-positive content.
  6. openly communicate with partners.
  7. learn more about STIs and sexual health.


How long does chlamydia and gonorrhea test take?

The test will take a few minutes. You'll get the results in 1 to 3 days, depending how the lab tests the sample you gave.


How long can trichomoniasis be dormant in a man?

There is no true dormancy period with trichomoniasis. If you have it, you have it. Your symptoms may just be too mild for you to realize it. Most importantly, you could be spreading it to your sexual partner(s).

What are the first signs of an STD in a man?

Symptoms
  • Burning or itching in the penis.
  • A drip (discharge) from the penis.
  • Pain around pelvis.
  • Sores, bumps or blisters on penis, anus, or mouth.
  • Burning and pain with urine or with bowel movements.
  • Having to go to the bathroom often.


How long can chlamydia lay dormant?

Chlamydia can lie dormant for months or years and it is often detected through screening and routine sexual health testing. If symptoms do develop, it usually takes 1-3 weeks after exposure to notice signs.


What is late stage chlamydia?

Late-stage chlamydia refers to an infection that has spread to other parts of the body. For example, it may have spread to the cervix (cervicitis), testicular tubes (epididymitis), eyes (conjunctivitis), or throat (pharyngitis), causing inflammation and pain.

Can you have chlamydia for 15 years and not know?

However, it is possible for symptoms to develop months or even years after infection, especially if you develop complications such as Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (in women) or epididymitis (in men). In many people, chlamydia never causes any symptoms.

Can you have chlamydia for 25 years and not know it?

Most people who have chlamydia don't know it. Often the disease has no symptoms. You can pass chlamydia to others without knowing it.


Can chlamydia or gonorrhea lay dormant for years?

Chlamydia is one of the most common sexually transmitted diseases in the UK. In 2018 alone, 49% of all new diagnoses of STDs were Chlamydia. A possible reason for this is that the Chlamydia can lay dormant for many years without the carrier knowing.
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