Sexually transmitted infections across Europe have surged to their highest levels in more than a decade, with gonorrhoea and syphilis both reaching record highs, according to new data from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control.

In 2024, reported gonorrhoea cases climbed to 106,331 across participating European countries, marking a 303% rise compared to 2015. Syphilis cases also more than doubled over the same period, reaching 45,557.

Health officials warned that weaker testing coverage and gaps in prevention efforts are contributing to the rapid spread. They stressed that both infections can lead to serious long-term health consequences, including infertility, chronic pain, and neurological or cardiovascular complications in untreated syphilis cases. Alarmingly, congenital syphilis—where infection is passed from mother to newborn—has nearly doubled in just one year.

Experts noted that men who have sex with men remain the most affected group for both infections, although rising rates among heterosexual women of reproductive age have also been recorded. Spain reported the highest number of cases among participating countries in 2024.

While chlamydia remains the most commonly reported bacterial STI in Europe, cases have slightly declined since 2015.

The UK is no longer part of the ECDC dataset following Brexit, but national figures from the UK Health Security Agency show continued high infection levels. England recorded 71,802 gonorrhoea cases and 9,535 syphilis cases in 2024, alongside 168,889 chlamydia diagnoses. The UK introduced a gonorrhoea vaccination programme in 2025 after infections hit record levels the previous year.

Doctors continue to emphasize prevention through condom use, regular testing, and vaccination where available, noting that both infections are treatable with antibiotics but can cause serious complications if left unchecked.