Gonorrhoea and Syphilis Hit Record Levels in Europe, Data Shows
- Sexually transmitted infections reached record high levels across Europe in 2024, with infections rising consistently over 10 years, according to Bruno Ciancio, head of the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control's directly transmitted and vaccine-preventable diseases unit.
- Changing sexual habits and "widening gaps" in testing drove the surge, the ECDC reported. Barriers to care persist, with 13 out of 29 reporting countries still charging out-of-pocket costs for basic STI tests.
- Data for 2024 shows 213,443 chlamydia cases and 106,331 gonorrhea reports across the continent. Syphilis cases more than doubled to 45,577, while lymphogranuloma venereum , a rare chlamydia strain, saw "ongoing transmission" with 3,490 reported cases.
- Health authorities reported a "distressing" rise in congenital syphilis cases, growing from 78 in 2023 to 140 in 2024 across 14 countries. Untreated infections can cause "potentially lifelong complications" for newborns, experts warned.
- Experts urged national health bodies to take "decisive action" by increasing testing access and strengthening surveillance. Without these updates, the agency warned that current trends will likely continue, further increasing negative health consequences.
54 Articles
54 Articles
The number of STIs, or sexually transmitted infections, is increasing sharply in Europe. The most striking rise is seen in gonorrhea: in ten years, the number of cases is four times higher. How do you recognize this STI quickly? And can you treat it effectively? Infectious disease specialist Dr. Marie-Angélique De Scheerder (UZ Ghent) offers advice. “Make no mistake: you can get it multiple times.”
According to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, the number of sexually transmitted infections reached record levels throughout Europe in 2024, owing to the sharp rise in gonorrhea and syphilis.
The number of infections with sexually transmitted diseases such as gonorrhea and syphilis has increased significantly in Europe over the past ten years. The figures for the most recent year, 2024, were compiled by the European equivalent of the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), the ECDC. Figures for 2025 and 2026 are not yet available. In 2024, there were 106,331 cases of gonorrhea, three times as many as in 2015.…
Most affected males who have relations with males, chlamydia the most widespread infection and worries congenital syphilis. Preservative and tests to defend themselves
In 2024, Spain had the highest number of confirmed cases of gonorrhea and syphilis among the European countries participating in the study.
Gonorrhoea and syphilis reach record levels in Europe, with cases surging among men who have sex with men
ECDC warns STI cases are predominantly found among men who have sex with men, having shown the steepest long-term increase The post Gonorrhoea and syphilis reach record levels in Europe, with cases surging among men who have sex with men appeared first on Attitude.
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