Common Symptoms:

• Genital Discharge: Often white, yellow, or grayish discharge from the penis or vagina. This may be thicker or more abundant than usual and can have a mild odor.
• Burning or Painful Urination: A mild to moderate stinging or burning sensation when urinating.
• Pelvic Pain: People with uteruses may experience lower abdominal or pelvic pain, sometimes mistaken for menstrual cramps.
• Bleeding Between Periods or After Sex: Slight spotting can occur due to cervical irritation.

Subtle or No Symptoms: Many people show no signs at all, which allows the infection to spread unnoticed and potentially lead to complications like pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) if untreated.

Common Symptoms:

• Thick, Yellowish or Greenish Discharge: Discharge from the penis is often more obvious and can be yellow or green, while those with vaginas may notice an unusual increase in vaginal discharge.
• Painful or Frequent Urination: A burning sensation when urinating and feeling the need to urinate more often.
• Vaginal Bleeding Between Periods: Mild spotting or bleeding after sexual intercourse can occur in those with vaginas due to cervical irritation.
• Anal Infection Symptoms: Itching, soreness, discharge, or bleeding from the rectum, especially if the infection is contracted anally.

Mild or No Symptoms: Many cases, especially in people with vaginas, may remain symptom-free, increasing the risk of internal damage if left untreated.

Common Symptoms in People with Vaginas:

• Frothy, Yellow-Green Discharge: Often accompanied by a strong, sometimes fishy odor.
• Itching or Irritation: A persistent itching or irritation of the vulva and vagina, sometimes accompanied by redness or swelling.
• Painful Urination or Intercourse:Discomfort during sexual activity or a burning feeling when urinating.

Common Symptoms in People with Penises:

• Frequently no symptoms, or very mild irritation at the urethra. Some may notice slight burning after urination or ejaculation, or a thin penile discharge.

Asymptomatic Cases: Many people (especially those with penises) don’t show noticeable symptoms but can still transmit the infection.

Flu-Like Illness:Commonly 2–4 weeks after infection, individuals might experience:

• Fever, Chills, and Night Sweats: Persistent low-grade fevers or waking up drenched in sweat.
• Rash: A faint, sometimes hard-to-detect rash on the torso or other areas.
• Fatigue and Muscle Aches: Feeling unusually tired or sore without strenuous activity.
• Swollen Lymph Nodes: Tenderness or swelling in the neck, underarms, or groin.

Chronic Stage (As the Virus Progresses):May experience no symptoms for years, though gradually the immune system weakens, leading to more frequent infections and illnesses if untreated.

Primary Stage (Early):

• Chancre (Painless Sore): A small, round, painless sore at the site of infection (mouth, genitals, or anus). It usually appears about three weeks after exposure and can go unnoticed, especially if located inside the vagina or anus.

Secondary Stage:

• Rash: Often appears on the palms of the hands, soles of the feet, or trunk. The rash may be faint and not itchy.
• Flu-Like Symptoms: Mild fever, swollen glands, sore throat, and general fatigue.
• Mucous Patches or Warty Growths: Moist, wart-like growths in the genital area or mouth can sometimes appear.

Latent and Tertiary Stages:

• Long periods with no symptoms. If untreated, syphilis can eventually cause severe damage to organs, including the heart, brain, and eyes.

Primary Outbreak (First-Time Infection):

• Painful Blisters or Sores: Small, fluid-filled blisters that eventually burst and turn into painful ulcers around the genitals, anus, or mouth.
• Itching or Tingling Before Sores Appear: A warning signal that an outbreak is imminent.
• Flu-Like Symptoms: Fever, headaches, swollen lymph nodes, and body aches, especially during the first outbreak.

Recurrent Outbreaks:

• Typically milder and shorter in duration than the first outbreak.
• Some people feel a “prodrome” (tingling or itching) before sores appear.

Asymptomatic Shedding:

• Many people have the virus but never develop visible sores. They can still transmit HSV-2 to partners.

Early Stages (Acute Infection):

• Often no symptoms, or very mild signs that resemble a mild flu.
• Fatigue, low-grade fever, and reduced appetite are possible but easy to overlook.

Chronic Infection (Long-Term):

• Persistent Fatigue, Joint Pain: Feeling run-down or aching for long periods.
• Nausea, Abdominal Pain: Discomfort in the upper right abdomen (where the liver is located).
• Jaundice (Yellowing of Skin/Eyes): A key sign of liver involvement, often accompanied by dark urine and pale stools.
• Progression: Without treatment, it can lead to liver damage (cirrhosis), and very rarely, liver cancer over many years.