Syphilis cases also continued to increase: 40,000 confirmed cases in Europe in 2023, an increase of 13% compared to 2022 and an increase of 100% compared to 2014.
While chlamydia remains the most frequent bacterial ist in Europe, the ECDC noted that there was a “slowdown” of the cases of chlamydia in 2023. That year, more than 230,000 cases were reported through Europe, an increase of 3% compared to 2022 and 13% compared to 2014.
The new data confirm the growing trend already observed in 2022, while with Gonorrhea and the cases of syphilis had increased by 48% and 34%, respectively, compared to the previous year.
More tests for STIs probably explain part of the increase, said ECDC. But changes in sexual risk behaviors, such as less use of condoms, could also play a role in the trend.
The URE in Europe last year sounded the alarm on a drop in the use of condoms in adolescents in Europe, which increases the risk of sexually transmitted infections and unwanted pregnancies.
The ECDC said that these results highlight “the urgent need for public awareness, prevention, tests and increased processing to respond to this increasing public health problem”.
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