As if hantavirus and Ebola outbreaks weren’t enough, sexually transmitted infections are surging across Europe.
Gonorrhea and syphilis cases are hitting record highs, and it’s not just a local thing anymore.
Experts think changing sexual habits, fewer condoms, more partners, dating apps, and gaps in testing are behind the spike.
Suddenly, two diseases — gonorrhea and syphilis — that people thought belonged to the past are very much back in the headlines.
Less condom use, more casual sex, dating apps, delays in diagnosis, and less STI awareness are all playing a part.
As if hantavirus and Ebola outbreaks weren’t enough, sexually transmitted infections are surging across Europe. Gonorrhea and syphilis cases are hitting record highs, and it’s not just a local thing anymore. New health data shows these two STDs have spread far beyond any single group or age range. Experts think changing sexual habits, fewer condoms, more partners, dating apps, and gaps in testing are behind the spike.
Suddenly, two diseases — gonorrhea and syphilis — that people thought belonged to the past are very much back in the headlines.
According to the BBC, numbers from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) paint a pretty stark picture: over 106,000 gonorrhea cases in Europe for 2024, which is a 303% jump since 2015. Syphilis has more than doubled, with 45,000 infections. The biggest worry? Congenital syphilis (passed from parent to baby during pregnancy) almost doubled in just one year.
Better testing explains some of the rise, but it’s not the whole story. Less condom use, more casual sex, dating apps, delays in diagnosis, and less STI awareness are all playing a part.
