Most people with herpes have mild or no symptoms so it´s not always possible to tell if someone has it. People can pass herpes without knowing it. If you get symptoms they usually appear within a week of getting infected. Signs include painful red blisters in private parts which burst to leave open sores (called ulcers), vaginal discharge, painful urination, fever and general illness. Symptoms usually pass within a month and can come and go throughout your life. It´s important to abstain when you have sores to prevent infecting your partner or letting in other infections (like HIV) through sores. Sometimes symptoms appear years after infection.
Attribution: Straight Talk Foundation & Marie Stopes