The short answer
Gonorrhoea and chlamydia show on a PCR test from about two weeks after sex. A laboratory HIV test is reliable for most people from four to six weeks, and syphilis, hepatitis B and C can take up to twelve weeks to show. If the risk was in the last 72 hours, a test cannot show it yet: get PEP first, then test later.
Complete STI screen with PCR, ₦99,500Medically reviewed by Dr Debo Odulana, Founder and Chief Executive, Mezo. Last reviewed . This page is general information, not a diagnosis. Care is decided with you after an examination.
Why testing too early misleads
Every test looks for something the body or the germ makes, and each takes time to build up. That time is the window period. A test taken inside it can come back clear while the infection is there, which is worse than not testing at all, because it reassures you when it should not.
The window for each test
As a working guide, from the date of the sex you are worried about:
- Gonorrhoea and chlamydia (PCR on urine or a swab): from about 2 weeks
- HIV (laboratory test for antigen and antibody): from 4 to 6 weeks for most people, with a final check at 12 weeks if your test was a rapid one
- Syphilis: up to 12 weeks
- Hepatitis B and C: up to 12 weeks, sometimes longer for hepatitis C
What to do in practice
If you have symptoms, see a doctor now rather than waiting for a window to close: discharge, burning or a sore can be tested and often treated the same day. If you have no symptoms, test from two weeks for gonorrhoea and chlamydia, and repeat the blood tests at twelve weeks for a final answer.
If the risk was in the last 72 hours, do not book a test first. Go to a hospital emergency department or an HIV clinic today and ask for PEP.
Common questions
Can I test the day after sex?
Not usefully. Nothing will show yet. If you are worried about HIV, the day after is exactly when to ask a hospital for PEP, which must start within 72 hours.
Do I need to test if I have no symptoms?
Yes, if you have had a new partner or sex without a condom. Most chlamydia and gonorrhoea, and early HIV and syphilis, cause no symptoms at all.
My test at two weeks was negative. Am I clear?
For gonorrhoea and chlamydia, a PCR test at two weeks is reliable. For HIV, syphilis and hepatitis, repeat the blood tests at twelve weeks to be sure.
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Sources and further reading
The guidelines and patient information this page is checked against. Care in Nigeria follows the same evidence; what differs is the price and where it is done.
- Time period for HIV testing: position statement. UK Health Security Agency, BASHH and EAGA. Clinical guideline.
- National Guidelines for HIV Prevention, Treatment and Care. Federal Ministry of Health, Nigeria (NASCP), 2020. Clinical guideline.
- Guidelines for the management of symptomatic sexually transmitted infections. World Health Organization, 2021. Clinical guideline.
Links last checked 24 October 2026.
Medical disclaimer: This guide is general information and does not replace advice from your own doctor. Where your centre's instructions differ from this guide, follow theirs.