How Long Does It Take For A STD To Show Up? Incubation Periods

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How Long Does It Take for STD Symptoms to Appear or Be Detected on a Test?

Medically reviewed by Stacy A. Henigsman, DO — Written by Tess Catlett — Updated on January 27, 2025

Testing timeline
Symptom timeline
Takeaway

All sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) start as sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Knowing the incubation period for the most common infections can help you determine when to get tested after exposure.

When you first contract an STI, your body needs time to recognize and produce antibodies to the infection. This is known as the incubation period.

For some STIs, the body begins to produce antibodies and symptoms in as little as a few days. For others, it can take weeks or months for antibodies to develop.

If you test too soon, you may receive a “false negative” result for an incubating infection.

It’s important to understand that symptoms aren’t necessarily a reliable marker of infection. Some STIs can take months or years to produce symptoms, if at all. If symptoms occur, the condition is considered an STD.

Incubation period and testing timeline

After the incubation period has passed, most STIs can be diagnosed via antibody-specific blood tests. Swab and urine tests are also common.

STI	Incubation period	Initial test	Retest
chlamydia	7 to 21 days	3 weeks	3 months
gonorrhea	1 to 14 days	2 weeks	3 months
hepatitis B	60 to 150 days	2 months	6 months
hepatitis C	15 to 50 days	2 months	6 months
herpes	2 to 7 days	if lesions appear	–
HIV	10 to 90 days	1 month	3 months
HPV	14 to 240 days	every 3 to 5 years	–
syphilis	10 to 90 days	1 month	3 months
trichomoniasis	5 to 28 days	1 to 4 weeks	3 months

Doctors often recommend retesting to confirm that treatment for a bacterial or parasitic STI was successful.

With the exception of HPV — which often resolves on its own within 2 years — viral STIs are lifelong. That means a blood test will always detect the infection, even after treatment, to manage symptoms or prevent transmission.

Doctors only recommend retesting for a viral STI to confirm the original diagnosis.

Disease progression and symptom timeline

Many STIs present without symptoms (asymptomatic). In some cases, an STI may not show symptoms because it’s latent, or lying dormant in your body.

STI	Presentation	Symptom onset
chlamydia	usually asymptomatic	1 to 3 weeks
gonorrhea	usually asymptomatic	2 to 5 days
hepatitis B	usually asymptomatic	1 to 4 months
hepatitis C	usually asymptomatic	1 to 3 months
herpes	cold sores, genital or anal lesions	2 to 20 days
HIV	fever, sore throat, or rash	2 to 6 weeks
HPV	genital or anal warts	1 to 3 months
syphilis	oral, genital, or anal sores	1 to 3 months
trichomoniasis	“fishy” discharge or itching	1 to 4 weeks

The best way to ensure that dormant STIs receive the proper diagnosis and treatment is regular STI screening.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends testing at least once a year if you’re sexually active with more than one person, have a new sexual partner, or have a sexual partner with an STI.

The bottom line

If you think you may have contracted an STI or are developing unusual symptoms, it’s important to avoid activities that could spread infection to a sexual partner.

Prompt diagnosis and treatment are essential to stop the spread and reduce the risk of long-term complications. Knowing the incubation period of the most common infections can help you determine when to seek medical help.

LetsGetChecked

How we reviewed this article:

SourcesHistoryHealthline has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical journals and associations. We only use quality, credible sources to ensure content accuracy and integrity. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.

Get tested. (n.d.).https://www.plannedparenthood.org/learn/stds-hiv-safer-sex/get-tested
Getting tested for HIV. (2025).https://www.cdc.gov/hiv/testing/index.html
Getting tested for STIs. (2024).https://www.cdc.gov/sti/testing/index.html
Reno H, et al. (2023). Sexually transmitted infections: CDC Yellow Book 2024.https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/yellowbook/2024/posttravel-evaluation/sexually-transmitted-infections

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Medically reviewed by Stacy A. Henigsman, DO — Written by Tess Catlett — Updated on January 27, 2025

How Long Does It Take For A STD To Show Up? Incubation Periods

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Incubation period and testing timeline

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