After a person is infected with the bacteria that cause chlamydia, symptoms typically appear within one to three weeks. Early symptoms of the disease include abnormal discharge from the vagina or penis and pain while urinating. If the infection is left untreated, it may spread to other areas in the body. Later chlamydia symptoms include pelvic inflammatory disease (in women) and epididymitis (in men). Not everyone with the infection experiences symptoms, which can make early diagnosis of the disease difficult.