Two big STIs are becoming more prevalent throughout Europe (Picture: Getty Images)
It may be a little warm in the UK right now, but it’s important you still keep wrapping up during sex, as cases of two sexually transmitted diseases have reached their highest levels in over 10 years.
There are record levels of gonorrhoea and syphilis in Europe, and given that both can have some pretty unpleasant symptoms it’s important to be in the know.
The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) said that as of 2024 gonorrhoea cases hit 106,331. This is a 303% increase since 2015, while syphilis more than doubled to 45,557 in the same period.
It’s Spain that had the most gonorrhoea and syphilis cases in 2024 at 37,169 and 11,556 respectively. When it comes to cases in Britain, the UK Health Security Agency reported 71,802 gonorrhoea cases in England in 2024, and 9,535 syphilis cases.
Despite these soaring levels, chlamydia is still the most prevalent STI with 168,889 chlamydia diagnoses in the UK during the same 12 months.
So, what tell tale signs should you be looking out for, and how can you treatthese STIs if you catch one? We’ve got the answers.
Gonorrhoea
Gonorrhoea is the second most common bacterial STI in the UK after chlamydia, and it’s sometimes known colloquially as ‘the clap’.
It spreads through unprotected vaginal, oral or anal sex, or sharing sex toys that have not been washed or covered with a new condom each time they’re used.
It can affect the cervix, urethra, rectum, and sometimes the throat or eyes, and can be passed from a pregnant person to their baby.
In women, symptoms can manifest as a yellow or greenish discharge from your vagina, burning pain when you pee, pain in your lower abdomen, or bleeding between periods (although this is very rare).
For men, symptoms include burning when you pee, fluid or discharge coming from the penis, or even sore testicles, according to the NHS.
Other parts of your body that come into contact with semen or vaginal fluid can also contract gonorrhoea, causing pain, itching and discharge from your anus (bottom), a sore throat, or eye redness, pain and discharge.
However, around 1 in 10 infected men and almost half of infected women do not experience any symptoms, so it’s important to get regularly tested if you’re sexually active.
Dr Hana Patel, GP and consultant for Superdrug Online Doctor suggests waiting two weeks to get tested after potential exposure to gonorrhoea.
‘Women may experience more subtle symptoms than men, which can make the infection easy to overlook,’ she told Metro.
If your swab or urine test proves positive, it’s typically treated with a single injection of ceftriaxone, sometimes combined with oral medication.
If left untreated, it could cause pelvic or testicular pain, ectopic pregnancy and infertility, and the more times you have it, the more likely you are to have complications. In rare cases (when untreated) it can spread through the bloodstream causing sepsis.
Women’s gonorrhoea symptoms can be more subtle than men’s (Picture: Getty Images)
Syphilis
Syphilis isn’t as common as gonorrhoea and symptoms can be mild, but you should look for small sores or white and grey warty growths on your penis, vagina or bottom.
Dr Patel explained you can test for it between four and 12 weeks after exposure because the antibodies need time to reach detectable levels, adding: ‘Syphilis symptoms can include painless sores at the site of infection, swollen glands and, later, a rash on the palms of the hands or soles of the feet.’
These sores can also appear in your mouth, and you can have flu-like symptoms, or even patchy hair loss, too.
It needs to be treated with antibiotics in the form of injections or tablets. As for the test itself, you’ll need either a blood test or a swab of the sore or lesion, and if you’re positive an injection of penicillin should sort it.
Condoms are more important than ever…
With STIs on the rise, and a risk of certain strains becoming antibiotic resistant, it’s imperative you use condoms with a new or non-monogamous sexual partner.
But for us Brits this hasn’t always been a priority, with just 15% of us purchasing condoms in 2023, and a staggering 41% skipping any form of contraception at all, according to Durex.
Gonorrhea is at record levels, particularly in Spain (Picture: Getty Images/Science Photo Libra)
Dr Katy Sinka, consultant epidemiologist and head of the STI section at the UKHSA, said: ‘Condoms aren’t just about preventing unwanted pregnancy; they are the main defence against STIs.
‘If you have had condomless sex with a new or casual partner, it is even more important to get tested to detect any potential infections early and prevent passing them on to others.’
She added: ‘You can get free condoms at your local sexual health clinic and if you’re under 25, you can also get them online.’
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