Gonorrhea and syphilis reach record highs, highest in 10 years
2026-05-22 12:37:34
TiranaPost
Sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including gonorrhea and syphilis, have reached record levels in Europe, according to new data.
The European Centre for Disease Control and Prevention said both diseases reached their highest levels in more than 10 years during 2024.
Gonorrhea reached 106,331 cases, a 303% increase since 2015, while syphilis counts 45,557 cases, more than double the previous number.
The health agency said "gaps in the expansion of testing and prevention" are partly responsible for the increase in transmission and called for urgent action.
"These infections can cause serious 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 unit for communicable and preventable diseases.
He said cases of congenital syphilis, "when the infection is transmitted directly to newborns, causing potentially lifelong complications," almost doubled from 2023 to 2024.
"Protecting sexual health remains simple. Use condoms with new or multiple partners and get tested if you have symptoms," he said.
Spain had the highest number of confirmed cases of gonorrhea and syphilis among the participating European countries in 2024, with 37,169 and 11,556 cases respectively.
