Sexually transmitted infections including gonorrhoea and syphilis reached record levels across Europe in 2024, according to new data from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC).
The agency said both infections had climbed to their highest levels in more than a decade, with gonorrhoea cases reaching 106,331 a 303% increase since 2015 while syphilis more than doubled to 45,557 cases over the same period.
The ECDC said “widening gaps in testing and prevention” were partly responsible for the surge and urged urgent action to curb further spread across the continent.
“These infections can cause severe complications, such as chronic pain and infertility and, in the case of syphilis, problems with the heart or nervous system,” said Bruno Ciancio, head of the agency’s Directly Transmitted and Vaccine-Preventable Diseases unit.
He added that congenital syphilis cases had also risen sharply, describing them as infections passed directly to newborns that can lead to lifelong complications.
“Congenital syphilis cases have nearly doubled from 2023 to 2024,” he said.
Ciancio advised prevention through safer sexual practices and regular testing.
“Protecting your sexual health remains straightforward. Use condoms with new or multiple partners, and get tested if you have symptoms,” he said.
Spain recorded the highest number of confirmed cases among participating countries, with 37,169 gonorrhoea cases and 11,556 syphilis cases in 2024.
The ECDC said men who have sex with men remained the most affected group, with the steepest long-term increases in both infections. It also noted rising syphilis cases among heterosexual women of reproductive age.
While chlamydia remained the most commonly reported bacterial STI, cases fell slightly by 6% compared with 2015, totalling 213,443.
The United Kingdom did not participate in the ECDC study following Brexit, but national figures showed continued high levels of infection. The UK Health Security Agency reported 71,802 gonorrhoea cases and 9,535 syphilis cases in England in 2024.
The UK also introduced a gonorrhoea vaccination programme in 2025 after record cases were recorded the previous year.
Public health officials said both gonorrhoea and syphilis could be prevented through condom use and vaccination where available, and treated with antibiotics if detected early.
Erizia Rubyjeana
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