Sexually transmitted infections such as syphilis and gonorrhoea are on the rise in England, according to new data from Public Health England (PHE). The increasing number of diagnoses is putting a strain on resources and has raised concerns about the emergence of antibiotic-resistant infections.
England saw around 422,000 sexually transmitted infection (STI) diagnoses in 2017, about the same as in 2016, according to the new PHE report.
Following a ten-year trend, syphilis infections continued to increase last year to their highest level since 1949. There were over 7,100 reported diagnoses in England in 2017, marking a 20% increase compared to 2016 and a 148% increase compared to 2008. The infection is most common among gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men, which accounted for 75% of new diagnoses in 2017.
Gonorrhoea is also on the rise. Compared to 2016, there was a 22% increase in cases of gonorrhoea in England in 2017, with nearly 44,700 cases.
There is particular concern surrounding the emergence of “super-gonorrhoea,” which is resistant to standard treatment. The first case of the rare strain was identified earlier this year in a man in the UK, and two other cases were later discovered in Australia.
The cases have caused alarm among health experts that resistant gonorrhoea infections may become more common, especially given sexual health clinics’ increasingly limited resources, reports BBC News.
“Our sexual health services are stretched too thinly and demand outweighs availability, with more cuts already planned,” Debbie Laycock, from the Terrence Higgins Trust, told BBC News. “The significant rise in both syphilis and gonorrhoea shows why further cuts are completely unacceptable and would be extremely damaging, particularly given the emergence of a new extensively drug-resistant strain of gonorrhoea.”
Despite the worries surrounding syphilis and gonorrhoea, chlamydia remains the most common STI in England. With over 200,000 cases, the disease accounted for almost half of all new STI infections in 2017. However, cases of chlamydia among 15 to 24 year olds decreased by 2%.
Officials expressed concern over an observed drop in chlamydia testing. The number of chlamydia tests in 2017 fell by 8% compared to the previous year, with tests in contraceptive clinics decreasing by 61% since 2015. PHE speculated that the changes were likely due to fewer resources in clinics, but BBC News adds that testing in other locations or at home with home testing kits could play a role.
The report did contain some positive news – figures showed that rates of genital warts, caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV), in 15 to 17-year-old girls decreased 90% since 2009, reflecting the uptake of the HPV vaccine in 12 to 13-year-old girls. In addition to causing genital warts, certain strains of HPV can lead to cervical cancer.
PHE stressed the importance of preventive measures in order to fight the spread of STIs and called for increased availability of testing and treatment options.
Dr Gwenda Hughes, head of the STI section at PHE, said in a statement: “Consistent and correct condom use with new and casual partners is the best defence against STIs, and if you are at risk, regular check-ups are essential to enable early diagnosis and treatment.”
Officials also encouraged the promotion of condoms using media campaigns and condom distribution schemes. In December, PHE launched a sexual health campaign to promote the use of condoms among 16 to 24 year olds, which have a high prevalence of STIs.