Symptoms of STIs

Gonorrhoea

Gonorrhoea is a bacterial infection, caused by bacteria found in the semen or vaginal fluid of an infected person. It can be passed from one person to another through unprotected vaginal sex, unprotected anal sex or unprotected oral sex.

The symptoms of gonorrhoea will normally appear within a couple of weeks (occasionally months) of becoming infected. These symptoms can include:

• A painful, burning sensation when urinating
• A green, yellow or white discharge from the penis
• A green or yellow discharge from the vagina
• Pain in the abdomen or pelvis
• Painful swelling of the foreskin

Gonorrhoea can be treated with antibiotics. If the infection is not treated, it can spread to other parts of the body and cause infertility in both men and women.

Chlamydia

Chlamydia is caused by bacteria found in the semen or vaginal fluid of an infected person. It can be passed from one person to another through unprotected vaginal sex, unprotected anal sex or unprotected oral sex, or just through your genitals coming into contact with your partner’s genitals.

Many people who are infected with chlamydia don’t have any obvious signs or symptoms – they may only discover the infection during a regular STI test.

If a person does experience symptoms, these can include:

• Discharge from the penis or vagina
• Pain when urinating
• Bleeding during or after sex
• Pain in the lower abdomen or pelvis
• Painful swelling of the testicles
• Heavy periods or bleeding between periods
• Burning sensation and itchiness in the male genital area

Chlamydia is treated with a course of antibiotics. If the infection is left untreated, it can cause infertility in both men and women.

Syphilis

Syphilis is a bacterial infection, which can be easily passed from one person to another through unprotected vaginal sex, unprotected anal sex or unprotected oral sex. Syphilis is usually treated with antibiotics.

The symptoms of syphilis develop in three stages.

Stage 1:

Between two to four weeks after infection, a small painless sore (called a chancre) can appear on or near the area where the infection entered the body during sex (either the vagina, penis or anus, or sometimes the lips, tonsils, hands or buttocks). Even though the chancre is painless, it is highly infectious. As it is painless, and it will normally heal itself and disappear after a few weeks, an infected person may ignore it or even fail to notice it. If syphilis isn’t treated at this stage, the bacteria can spread to other parts of the body and the infection moves to its second stage.

Stage 2:

A few weeks after the chancre has disappeared, the following second stage symptoms can appear:

• Skin rashes (often on the palms of the hands/soles of the feet)
• Fever
• Weight loss
• Mouth sores
• Swollen glands in the neck, armpits or groin
• A general feeling of ill-health, including headaches, tiredness and aching joints

These symptoms typically disappear after a few weeks, or they may come and go over a period of weeks (or even months). If syphilis isn’t treated at this stage, the infection moves to its third and final stage.

Stage 3:

This stage will begin years after the person first becomes infected. It can have serious and dangerous effects, including numbness, paralysis, blindness, deafness, stroke, loss of coordination, heart disease and even death. This stage of syphilis is rare in the UK.

HIV

HIV is one of the most serious STIs, as it damages the body’s immune system, making it less able to fight everyday infections and disease.

HIV can be transmitted if an infected person’s bodily fluids (blood, semen or vaginal fluids) enter another person’s body. The most common way for the infection to be transmitted is through unprotected vaginal or anal sex. It can also be passed on by sharing needles or from mother to child during pregnancy, birth or breastfeeding.

You can’t catch HIV by shaking hands, kissing, hugging or sharing cutlery, towels or toilet seats with an infected person. This is because urine, sweat and saliva do not contain enough of the HIV virus to spread infection.

If a person has HIV, they may experience a short illness, soon after getting the virus. This illness can last for around two weeks, during which time the person may experience symptoms including a sore throat, fever, tiredness, aching joints, swollen glands and a rash. After this illness, the infected person may not experience any further symptoms for years – however, the virus is multiplying in their body and causing damage to the immune system (even though the person may look and feel completely healthy). Once the immune system has been damaged by the virus, the person may experience weight loss, diarrhoea, night sweats, recurring infections and serious life-threatening illnesses.

HIV cannot be cured, but it can be controlled by taking daily medication to prevent the infection being passed onto others. However, if the virus is not diagnosed and treated, it can develop into AIDS (acquired immune deficiency syndrome). AIDS is the final stage of HIV infection, when your body can no longer fight life-threatening infections. However, with early testing and treatment, most people with HIV will not go on to develop AIDS.

Genital warts

Genital warts are caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV). They appear as small growths or bumps on the genitals or anus. As well as appearing around the opening of the vagina, on the penis and on the scrotum, they can also grow inside the vagina, on the cervix or inside the anus, making it difficult for a person to know they have them. They are usually painless, but they can be itchy and uncomfortable.

Visible genital warts can be treated with special creams or they can be destroyed by being frozen or heated. Wart creams that are available to buy over the counter are not suitable for genital warts – they are only designed to treat warts on hands or verrucas on the feet.

HPV is passed from one person to another through skin-to-skin contact – most commonly through sexual activity, including vaginal sex, anal sex and non-penetrative contact between genitals.

There are over 100 different types of HPV and some high-risk strains of HPV have been found to cause cervical cancer in women. There is a vaccination available, which protects against different types of HPV – this vaccination is offered to all girls aged 12 and 13.

Genital herpes

Genital herpes is caused by the herpes simplex virus (HSV), which also causes cold sores. This virus is highly contagious and it can enter the body through small cracks in the skin, or through the soft, moist lining of the mouth, vagina, rectum, urethra or under the foreskin. It is typically passed from one person to another through unprotected vaginal, anal or oral sex, through non-penetrative contact between genitals, if a person has cold sores when having oral sex or if a person has herpes on their hand and they touch another person’s genital area or anal area.

Many people with HSV don’t experience any symptoms – if they do have symptoms, these can include:

• Pain when urinating
• Vaginal discharge
• Flu-like symptoms, such as fever, headache, aching joints
• Itchiness and a tingling sensation in the genital or anal area
• Blisters in the genital or anal area, which burst and form painful ulcers

If they are not treated, the sores will generally heal and disappear after two to four weeks, but the virus remains in the body for life and an infected person may experience repeated outbreaks.

Pubic lice

Pubic lice are tiny insects that live on a person’s pubic hair; you may hear them referred to as ‘crabs’.

They can be spread through any close body contact, including vaginal, anal or oral sex, as well as sharing towels and bed linen.

Pubic lice are usually yellow-grey or red in colour and they lay their eggs at the base of the pubic hair. They cause irritation and itching in the affected areas. An infected person may also see black powder in their underwear (which are lice droppings) and notice tiny brown eggs on their pubic hair.

Pubic lice can be treated with special lotions, creams or shampoo.