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
By Aaron Sugg
According to new data from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), gonorrhoea and syphilis have reached record levels in Europe.
Statistics show a record-breaking rise in sexually transmitted infections in 2024, with gonorrhoea cases reaching 106,331, a 303 per cent increase since 2015 and nearly 10,000 more cases compared with last year.
Syphilis cases nearly doubled over the same period, rising from 28,701 in 2015 to 45,577, marking a significant increase compared with 2023’s figures.
Sexually transmitted infections have surged in men who have sex with men
The ECDC warned that STI cases are predominantly found among men who have sex with men, who have shown the steepest long-term increase.
Bruno Ciancio, head of the ECDC’s Directly Transmitted and Vaccine-Preventable Diseases unit, warned: “Sexually transmitted infections have been on the rise for 10 years and reached record high levels in 2024.”
He added: “Untreated, 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.”
Bruno Ciancio encourages using condoms and testing
Ciancio also highlighted the concerning surge in syphilis cases, noting that they had nearly doubled between 2023 and 2024.
“Protecting your sexual health remains straightforward. Use condoms with new or multiple partners, and get tested if you have symptoms, such as pain, discharge or an ulcer,” he advised.
Spain recorded the highest number of confirmed gonorrhoea and syphilis cases among participating European countries in 2024, with 37,169 and 11,556 cases respectively
The UK introduced a gonorrhoea vaccine in 2025 following record infection levels in 2023, as well as formally introducing preventative doxy-PEP (doxycycline post-exposure prophylaxis).
What is Doxy-PEP?
Doxy-PEP is to be used after sex to reduce the risk of contracting chlamydia, syphilis and in some cases, gonorrhoea.
The ECDC has issued guidance on doxy-PEP use, stating that it should not be widely used for gonorrhoea due to high levels of antibiotic resistance.
Despite the rise, chlamydia remains the most common bacterial STI, although cases have fallen 6 per cent since 2015 to 213,443 in 2024, according to ECDC’s findings.
How to detect gonorrhoea, syphilis and chlamydia
Gonorrhoea symptoms:
* Pain or burning when peeing
* Unusual discharge from the penis, vagina, or anus
* Pain or swelling in testicles
* Sometimes, no symptoms at all
Syphilis symptoms:
* Sore’s on genitals
* Skin rash
* Flu-like illness
* Swollen glands
* Hairloss
Chlamydia symptoms:
* Abnormal genital discharge
* Pain or burning when peeing
* Itching or burning private-parts
* (Women) Noticing blood after intercourse
For help, please contact your local sexual health clinic and seek your GP’s advice.