We use cookies and scripts that may share certain browsing information with our partners and suppliers to support our awareness-raising efforts. By clicking on “I accept,” you consent to our use of cookies.
Unfortunately, this question is difficult to answer for the following reasons:
The absence of symptoms and the incubation period (the time it takes for symptoms to appear, if ever) vary from one STBBI to another and from one infection to another.
STBBIs are not guaranteed to be transmitted during each exposure. It’s more a question of (bad) luck!
The transmission of a given STBBI also depends on the type of sexual contact. For instance, some STBBIs are transmitted through skin-to-skin contact, while others are more likely to be transmitted via penetration!
For all of these reasons, we can’t tell you exactly how long it takes for an STBBI to be transmitted.
We can, however, tell you that, for an STBBI to be detectable when you take your screening test, you must wait a certain amount of time. This period is called the “window period” and varies from one STBBI to another:
Chlamydia: 14 days
Gonorrhea: 14 days
Syphilis: 12 weeks
Hepatitis B: 12 weeks
Hepatitis C: 12 weeks
HIV: 12 weeks
To find out more, see the “How long should I wait before getting tested” section of our FAQ