PRESS RELEASE : Gonorrhoea and syphilis at record levels in 2022 [June 2023]

The press release issued by the UK Health Security Agency on 6 June 2023.

Last year, gonorrhoea diagnoses were highest on record and syphilis diagnoses were highest since 1948.

New data from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) published today shows record levels of gonorrhoea and syphilis diagnoses in 2022.

The latest data shows:

• gonorrhoea diagnoses increased to 82,592 in 2022, an increase of 50.3% compared to 2021 (54,961) and 16.1% compared to 2019 (prior to the COVID-19 pandemic) – this is the highest number of diagnoses in any one year since records began in 1918
• infectious syphilis diagnoses increased to 8,692 in 2022, up 15.2% compared to 2021 (7,543) and 8.1% compared to 2019 – this is the largest annual number since 1948
• people aged 15 to 24 years remain the most likely to be diagnosed with sexually transmitted infections (STIs)
• in 2022, there were over 400 diagnoses of STIs made each day among young people

UKHSA is reminding everyone having sex with new or casual partners to wear a condom and get tested regularly, whatever their age or sexual orientation. Testing is free and confidential and you should get tested even if you are not showing any symptoms.

Though STIs are usually easily treated with antibiotics, many can cause serious health issues if left untreated. Chlamydia and gonorrhoea can cause infertility and pelvic inflammatory disease, while syphilis can cause serious, irreversible and potentially life-threatening problems with your brain, heart, or nerves.

Dr Hamish Mohammed, Consultant Epidemiologist at UKHSA, said:

We saw more gonorrhoea diagnoses in 2022 than ever before, with large rises particularly in young people. STIs aren’t just an inconvenience – they can have a major impact on your health and that of any sexual partners. Condoms are the best defence, but if you didn’t use one the last time you had sex with a new or casual partner, get tested to detect any potential infections early and prevent passing them on to others. Testing is important because you may not have any symptoms of an STI.

If you are having condomless sex with new or casual partners, regular testing for STIs and HIV is essential to maintain good sexual health. Testing is free and can be accessed through local sexual health clinics, university and college medical centres or through self-sampling kits sent discreetly through the post.

In 2022, there were 2,195,909 sexual health screens (diagnostic tests for chlamydia, gonorrhoea, syphilis or HIV) performed by sexual health services, an increase of 13.4% compared to 2021 (1,936,455).

While the increase in gonorrhoea and syphilis diagnoses will in part be due to increases in testing, the scale of the increase in diagnoses strongly suggests that there is more transmission of STIs within the population.

Gonorrhoea is becoming increasingly resistant to antibiotics and at risk of becoming untreatable in the future, making it vital that people test early and diagnose the infection so that they can prevent passing it on.

Regular screening for STIs and HIV, on at least an annual basis, is essential to maintain good sexual health for everyone having condomless sex with new or casual partners. In addition:

• women, and other people with a womb and ovaries, aged under 25 years who are sexually active should have a chlamydia test after having sex with a new partner or annually
• gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men should have tests for HIV and STIs annually or every 3 months if having condomless sex with new or casual partners