Gonorrhoea cases nearly double in Europe amid ‘urgent’ STI surge

Health

By Katherine Donlevy

Sexually transmitted infections skyrocketed across Europe in 2022 — with reported gonorrhea cases alone nearly doubling.

The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control expressed “deep concern” with the rising rates, released Thursday as part of the group’s most recent data set.

Syphilis cases rose by 34% between 2021 and 2022, amounting to more than 35,000 cases in the latter year. Chlamydia cases jumped by 16% to more than 216,000.

More than 70,000 individuals were reported with gonorrhea infections in 2022, a 48% surge from the year before.

Other STIs, including lymphogranuloma venereum and congenital syphilis — which is transmitted from mother to fetus — also saw major increases.

“The numbers paint a stark picture, one that needs our immediate attention and action,” ECDC Director Andrea Ammon said at a press conference.

Ammon also noted that the STI surge demanded the country’s “urgent attention.”

The massive surge follows years of rising STI rates in many countries, which was momentarily halted by government guidance for social distancing measures during the COVID-19 pandemic.

New York City also saw a spike in STIs in 2022, with gonorrhea rates up by 11% among men and syphilis rates skyrocketing a staggering 36% among women, according to the Big Apple’s Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.

Several reasons were behind the sustained rise, the ECDC said, including better surveillance and a rise in home testing as well as an increase in riskier sexual behavior — but mostly the lack of information on sexually transmitted diseases.

The ECDC also theorized that the rise in gonorrhea infections could be due to antimicrobial resistance, but said it was still monitoring the possibility.

Ammon said the numbers were likely the “tip of the iceberg” as many infections go undetected.

Fighting the surge would involve a heightened awareness of STIs, enhanced prevention methods, access to testing and effective treatment.

Untreated STIs can lead to a range of health problems including pelvic inflammatory disease and chronic.

Chlamydia and gonorrhoea can lead to infertility while syphilis can cause neurological and cardiovascular issues. Untreated syphilis infection during pregnancy can lead to serious adverse outcomes in children.

With Post wires