Gonorrhoea and syphilis diagnoses reached an all-time high in the United Kingdom last year, according to newly released data from the UK’s Health Security Agency (UKHSA). In 2022, there were 82,592 gonorrhoea diagnoses, marking a 50.3% increase from the previous year’s 54,961 cases. This is the highest number of diagnoses since records began in 1918. Additionally, infectious syphilis diagnoses rose to 8,692 in 2022, the largest annual number since the post-World War II era.
Young people aged 15 to 24 years are the most likely to be diagnosed with sexually transmitted infections (STIs) due to their tendency to change sexual partners more frequently than other age groups. Dr Hamish Mohammed, a consultant epidemiologist at UKHSA, commented on the issue: “We saw more gonorrhoea diagnoses in 2022 than ever before, with large rises, particularly in young people. STIs aren’t just…
