A “worrying” wave of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) has swept across Europe, the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control warned on Thursday.
The ECDC calls for increased prevention work.
In 2022, cases of gonorrhea jumped by 48%, with 70,881 cases in the European Union, those of syphilis increased by 34% (35,391 cases) and those of chlamydia by 16% (216,508 cases), according to the agency's annual report.
“This increase is as staggering as it is worrying,” said Andrea Ammon, director of the ECDC, at a press conference.
“These numbers, while important, likely represent just the tip of the iceberg, as the data” may be underestimated, she added, explaining that this was due to differences in screening practices but also access to sexual health services in the 27 countries covered by the agency.
Opening the “dialogue” about STIs
The results show that there is "an urgent need to raise awareness of the transmission of STIs and a need to improve prevention, access to screening and effective treatments to address this public health challenge", underlined the ECDC in a press release.
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“We must prioritize sex education, expand access to testing and treatment services, and combat the stigma associated with STIs,” Andrea Ammon said in the statement.
In addition, consistent condom use during sexual intercourse and “open dialogue” about STIs should be encouraged as they help reduce the transmission of infections.