In a male, chlamydia can develop in the urethra, rectum, or throat. Some call chlamydia a “silent” infection because people are often unaware that they have it. The majority of these infections in males cause no symptoms. If symptoms do occur in males, they arise several weeks after the infection develops.
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.
Some STDs—like HIV, chlamydia and gonorrhea—are spread through body fluids, such as semen (cum). Other STDs, including HIV and Hepatitis B, are also spread through blood. Genital herpes, syphilis, and HPV are most often spread through genital skin-to-skin contact.
Asymptomatic STIs are more common than not. There is a very high prevalence of symptom-free sexually transmitted infections. People can be, and often are, living with an STI for many years without knowing it. During that time, if they're not careful, they can transmit the infection to some or all of their sex partners.
Although chlamydia is highly contagious, it does not always transmit to a person's sexual partners. It is also possible to have a false-negative test result. Having more frequent sex with a partner who has chlamydia may increase a person's risk of contracting it.
Only Three STIs Are Transmitted Sexually Every Time
That may be the case, of course, but it's also possible to contract several STIs without infidelity, and in some cases, without any sexual contact. Only three STIs are transmitted exclusively sexually: gonorrhea, syphilis, and genital warts.
Women are also biologically more vulnerable to STDs than are men. Women are more susceptible to STDs during sexual intercourse because the vaginal surface is larger and more vulnerable to sexual secretions than the primarily skin-covered penis.
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.
HIV (10+ years)
Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is one of the most well-known examples of an STD that can lie dormant.
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.
Chlamydia
Chlamydia is the most reported STD, which is an STD that must be reported to local health departments when diagnosed. It is a bacterial infection that can often be cured with a round of antibiotics.
Mississippi is the state with the highest STD rate in the US, with a rate of 1,300 cases per 100,000 people. Louisiana is the second highest, with a rate of 1,100 cases per 100,000 people. South Carolina ranks third, with a rate of 999.8 per 100,000, while Alaska ranks fourth, at a rate of 990.8 per 100,000.
Some common STDs in men are: Chlamydia. Gonorrhea. Trichomoniasis.
Chlamydia is the most common sexually transmitted infection (STI) in Australia, particularly among young people aged between 15 and 25 years. You can reduce your risk of getting chlamydia by practising safe sex, and limiting your sexual partners.
Herpes is easy to catch. All it takes is skin-to-skin contact, including areas that a condom doesn't cover. You're most contagious when you have blisters, but you don't need them to pass the virus along. Because herpes is a virus, you can't cure it.
It's quite another to learn you have an STI while you're in a monogamous relationship. If you have been totally faithful, you may assume that your partner acquired the infection while being unfaithful. Though it's possible they may have been intimate with someone else, it's also possible they never cheated at all.
Even if the infection was due to infidelity, whether or not to forgive is ultimately up to you and your partner's willingness to recommit to you. Generally speaking, an STI does not have to be a relationship dealbreaker.
Although being in a monogamous, long-term relationship can limit your risk of getting an STI, it doesn't guarantee that you won't contract an infection. Many STIs can still be passed on even when you're in a relationship, so it's important to get tested regularly.