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Gonorrhea and Syphilis Cases Reach Record Highs in Europe in 2024
Gonorrhea cases rose 303 percent since 2015 while syphilis cases more than doubled, according to new data from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. The agency reported widening gaps in testing and prevention as key factors behind the surge.
May 21, 7:32 AM·1m read3 sources
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Gonorrhea and syphilis cases reached their highest levels in more than a decade across Europe in 2024. The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control recorded 106,331 gonorrhea cases, a 303 percent increase from 2015, and 45,557 syphilis cases, more than double the 2015 figure.
The agency attributed part of the rise to widening gaps in testing and prevention services. It urged national health authorities to expand access to testing and speed up treatment to limit further transmission.
Spain recorded the highest totals among participating countries, with 37,169 gonorrhea cases and 11,556 syphilis cases. Chlamydia remained the most commonly reported bacterial STI, though its cases fell 6 percent since 2015 to 213,443. Lymphogranuloma venereum, a rare strain of chlamydia, showed ongoing transmission with 3,490 cases reported.
Men who have sex with men experienced the sharpest long-term increases in gonorrhea and syphilis, while syphilis cases also rose among heterosexual people.
Congenital syphilis cases nearly doubled from 78 in 2023 to 140 in 2024 across the 14 countries that reported data. Bruno Ciancio, head of the agency's Directly Transmitted and Vaccine-Preventable Diseases unit, said untreated infections can cause chronic pain, infertility, and heart or nervous system problems.
" — Bruno Ciancio, head of the ECDC's Directly Transmitted and Vaccine-Preventable Diseases unit Thirteen of 29 reporting countries still charge out-of-pocket costs for basic STI tests. The agency called for updated national strategies and stronger surveillance to monitor prevention efforts.
England recorded 71,802 gonorrhea cases and 9,535 syphilis cases in 2024, according to a UK Health Security Agency report. Chlamydia diagnoses reached 168,889 during the same period. The UK introduced a gonorrhea vaccine in 2025 after cases hit a record 85,000 in 2023.
