Syphilis is a bacterial infection that’s mainly spread through close contact with an infected sore. This usually happens during vaginal, anal or oral sex, or by sharing sex toys with someone who’s infected. Anyone who’s sexually active is potentially at risk.

The first symptoms of syphilis usually develop around two or three weeks after infection, although they can take up to 3 months to appear.

• the main symptom is a small, painless sore or ulcer (called a chancre) that you might not notice
• the sore will typically be on the penis, vagina, or around the anus, although they can sometimes appear in the mouth or on the lips, fingers or buttocks
• most people only have one sore, but some people have several
• you may also have swollen glands in your neck, groin or armpits

Visit our Syphilis page for more information

Gonorrhoea can be very painful and if left untreated, it can cause painful complications and health problems.

Symptoms of gonorrhoea usually develop within 2 days to weeks of being infected. About 1 in 10 infected men and half of infected women won’t experience any obvious symptoms, which means the condition can go untreated for some time.

Visit our Gonorrhoea page for a list of symptoms and more information.

Herpes is the virus that causes cold sores. The Herpes virus can be highly infectious for both men and women and many people who have the virus may not even know they have it.

Like other sexually transmitted infections Genital Herpes is transferred through close physical contact including kissing, oral sex, sharing sex toys and sexual intercourse.

Genital herpes is particularly easy to catch when an infected person has blisters or sores. However, it can be caught at any time, even when someone has no symptoms at all. Symptoms may not appear until months or sometimes years after you’re exposed to the virus.

Visit our Genital Herpes page for a list of symptoms and more information.

Genital warts are small fleshy growths, bumps or skin changes that appear on or around your genital or anal area. They’re caused by some types of human papilloma virus (HPV) and are the second most common STI in England after chlamydia.

Genital warts can be spread during vaginal or anal sex, and by sharing sex toys. But you don’t need to have penetrative sex to pass the infection on because HPV is spread by skin-to-skin contact.

It can take months, or even years, for warts to develop after infection with HPV. So if you’re in a relationship and you get genital warts, it does not necessarily mean your partner has been having sex with other people.

A person can have a single wart or clusters of multiple warts that grow together to form a kind of “cauliflower” appearance. Warts are usually painless, although on some people they can become itchy and inflamed.

Visit our Genital warts page for more information.

HIV is a sexually transmitted infection (STI) that attacks the body’s immune system.

HIV can be passed on through infected bodily fluids. Visit our HIV page for more information.

Most people who are infected with HIV experience a short, flu-like illness that occurs two to six weeks after infection. Symptoms include:

• Fever
• Sore throat
• Body rash
• Tiredness
• Swollen glands
• Joint pain
• Muscle pain

13% of people living with HIV in the UK remain undiagnosed (Public Health England, 2017).

Visit the It Starts With Me campaign to learn more about prevention strategies and treatments.

Mycoplasma Genitalium (MG) is the ‘new’ sexually transmitted infection (STI) on everyone’s radar. It has most recently been classified as a sexually transmitted infection (STI) by the British Association for Sexual Health and HIV (BASHH) and is said to affect 1 – 2% of the UK population.

MG is a bacterium that is transmitted through unprotected sex and can be prevented along with other STIs by:

• Taking precautions with new partners
• Regular testing
• Effective and consistent use of condoms

Not everyone will experience symptoms if they have MG. Possible symptoms are similar to those of STIs such as Chlamydia and Gonorrhoea.

Pubic lice (Phthirus pubis) are tiny parasitic insects that live on coarse human body hair, such as pubic hair.

Pubic lice aren’t related to poor personal hygiene. They’re usually spread through close bodily contact with an infected person. The lice crawl from hair to hair, but can’t fly or jump. They need human blood to survive, so will only leave the body to move from one person to another.

The most common way pubic lice are spread is through sexual contact, including vaginal, anal and oral sex. Using condoms doesn’t protect you against pubic lice.

Itching is the most common symptom of pubic lice and is an allergic reaction to their saliva. The itching is usually worse at night, when the lice are most active. Visit our Public lice page for more information.

Scabies is a contagious skin condition caused by tiny mites that burrow into the skin.

Scabies mites can’t fly or jump, which means they can only move from one human body to another if two people have direct and prolonged physical contact.For example, scabies mites can be transmitted by:

• holding hands with an infected person for a prolonged period of time
• having sex with an infected person
• sharing clothing, towels and bedding with an infected person (although this is rare)

The main symptoms of scabies are intense itching and a rash in areas of the body where the mites have burrowed. Visit our Scabies page for more information.

Trichomoniasis is an STI caused by a tiny parasite called Trichomonas vaginalis (TV).

The parasite is usually spread by having unprotected sex (sex without a condom). It could also be spread by sharing sex toys if you don’t wash them or cover them with a new condom before use.

Symptoms of trichomoniasis usually develop within a month of infection, although up to half of all infected men and women have no symptoms.

Visit our Trichomoniasis page for a list of symptoms and more information.