Body

Chlamydia (say: kluh-MID-ee-uh) is a very common STI caused by a bacteria. Women who have chlamydia are much more likely to get HIV if they are exposed to it.

Also, if it’s not treated, chlamydia can cause serious problems, like not being able to have a baby.

Because chlamydia often doesn’t cause symptoms, experts recommend that teens who have sex get tested for it every year.

Symptoms can include:

• Unusual vaginal discharge (not the clear or slightly white fluid women often have)
• Burning when urinating
• Bleeding between periods
• Stomach pain
• Back pain
• Nausea
• Fever
• Pain during sex

Genital herpes (say: JEN-ih-tul HER-peez) is caused by a virus called herpes simplex virus (HSV). There are 2 types of herpes virus that cause genital herpes: HSV-1 and HSV-2. Usually, genital herpes are HSV-2. But a person with HSV-1 — that’s oral herpes or cold sores around a person’s mouth — can pass the virus to another person's genitals during oral sex.

Genital herpes can increase the risk of HIV infection. That’s because HIV can enter the body more easily where there's a break in the skin, such as a herpes sore.

Some people have no symptoms. Symptoms can include:

• Small red bumps, blisters, or open sores on the vagina or anus (bottom)
• Fever, headache, and muscle aches
• Swollen glands in the genital area
• Itching or burning in genital area
• Pain in legs, buttocks, or genital area
• Pain when urinating

Symptoms may go away and then come back. Sores usually heal after 2 to 4 weeks. If the sores are mild, a person might think they are just bug bites or other skin problem.

Most women have no symptoms or just mild ones. Symptoms can include:

• Yellowish and sometimes bloody vaginal discharge
• Pain or burning when urinating
• Pain during sex
• Vaginal bleeding between menstrual periods

Gonorrhea infection can also be present in the throat, which may cause a sore throat. It can also be in the anus (bottom). Symptoms there include:

• Anal discharge
• Anal itching
• Soreness
• Bleeding
• Painful bowel movements

You may have no symptoms, or you may have some, including:

• Yellow skin or yellowing of the whites of the eyes
• Tiredness
• Dark-colored urine
• Stomach pain
• Loss of appetite
• Nausea and vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Low fever
• Headache or muscle aches

Women may have no symptoms for 10 years or more. Some get flu-like symptoms within a month or 2 after first getting HIV. Other symptoms include:

• Quick weight loss
• Fevers and night sweats
• Being very tired
• Headache
• Diarrhea, vomiting, and nausea
• Mouth, genital, or anal sores
• Dry cough
• Rash or flaky skin
• Swollen lymph nodes
• Other STIs, vaginal yeast infections, and other vaginal infections
• Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) that does not get better with treatment
• Menstrual cycle changes, like not having periods or having heavy bleeding
• Human papillomavirus (HPV) infections, which can cause genital warts and cervical cancer

You cannot rely on symptoms to know whether you have HIV. The only way to know whether you have HIV is to get tested. Find a safe place to get tested.
 

Human papillomavirus (say: pap-uh-LOH-muh-veye-russ), or HPV, is the most common STI in the U.S. Some types of HPV can cause cervical cancer and genital warts. It often goes away on its own.

A vaccine can help prevent the types of human papillomavirus (HPV) that cause most cases of cervical cancer and genital warts. Ask your doctor about getting vaccinated. 

Some women have no symptoms. Symptoms can include:

• Warts on the genitals or thighs that can be flat or raised and alone or in groups. They may cause itching, burning, or pain.
• Growths on the cervix and vagina that the person often can’t see

Symptoms can include: 

• Itching in the pubic area
• Finding lice or eggs
• Sores from bites or scratching
• Rust-colored spots on your underwear
• Mild fever and tiredness if you’ve been bitten by a large number of lice

There may not be any symptoms for years. Different stages have different symptoms.

Symptoms in the first or primary stage appear 10 to 90 days after getting infected. They include:

• A painless sore, usually in the genital area, but possibly on the lips or other parts of the body
• Swollen lymph glands

Sores heal on their own. But if the infection is not treated, a secondary stage follows around 3 to 6 weeks after the first sore. Symptoms of that stage include:

• Rash on the palms and soles of the feet that usually doesn’t itch and goes away on its own
• Fever
• Swollen lymph glands and sore throat
• Patchy hair loss
• Headaches and muscle aches
• Weight loss
• Tiredness

If the infection is still not treated, it moves on to a hidden or latent stage. Then it can possibly enter a tertiary or last stage. During this stage there can be damage to the brain, nerves, eyes, heart, and blood vessels. Some people may even die.

Some women don’t have symptoms, but those who do can have symptoms appear between 5 and 28 days after exposure. Symptoms can include:

• Frothy, yellow-green vaginal discharge, which has a strong odor
• Discomfort during sex and when urinating
• Irritation and itching of the genital area
• Sometimes, lower abdominal pain