Europe records record rise in gonorrhea and syphilis cases

According to the ECDC, 106,331 cases of gonorrhea were recorded in 2024, which is 303% more than in 2015. The number of reported cases of syphilis more than doubled over the same period to 45,557. Experts believe gaps in testing and prevention are one of the reasons for the increase in incidence.

The head of the STD unit, Bruno Ciancio, warned that such infections can cause serious complications, including chronic pain, infertility and, in the case of syphilis, damage to the heart and nervous system. He also reported that the number of cases of congenital syphilis – when the infection is transmitted to newborns – almost doubled from 2023 to 2024.

The largest number of confirmed cases of gonorrhea and syphilis among European countries in 2024 were registered in Spain – 37,169 and 11,556 respectively.

The ECDC noted that the most vulnerable group remains men who have sex with men, but a significant increase in syphilis cases is also observed among heterosexual women of reproductive age.

Chlamydia remains the most common sexually transmitted bacterial infection, although the number of cases decreased by 6% compared to 2015, to 213,443.

Post-Brexit Britain does not participate in the ECDC study, but publishes its own statistics. According to the British health agency, in England in 2024 there were 71,802 cases of gonorrhea, 9,535 cases of syphilis and 168,889 cases of chlamydia. The UK began using the gonorrhea vaccine in 2025 after cases reached a record 85,000 in 2023.