Rise in diagnoses of gonorrhoea and syphilis in England
Published: June 6, 2023 by
odawson
Today, the UK Health Security Agency has published data on diagnoses of sexually transmitted infections in 2022. 82,592 diagnoses of gonorrhoea were made at sexual health services in 2022, the highest annual number since records began in 1918. The number of diagnoses of infectious syphilis reached 8,692 in 2022. Gay, bi, and other men who have sex with men remain one of the groups with high numbers of cases of STIs.
With a 50% increase in gonorrhoea cases, and a 15% increase in syphilis cases, as well as high rates of other STIs, what can you do to stay protected?
Test, test, test
If you have an STI, it’s best to know so that you can get treated, and reduce the chance of you passing on any infections. We recommend that if you’re having sex with new partner(s) you should test as often as every 3 months, or at least once a year. LGBT Foundation offer STI testing which you can do in person with our team or at home, or you could use your local sexual health clinic.
Did you know that you can get condoms and lube for free from LGBT Foundation? Order them online, pick them up from a venue in Manchester’s gay village, or grab our team when you see us out and about in Liverpool!
Think about HIV too
PrEP is a great tool to help you take control of your sexual health and prevent HIV. You can speak to your local sexual health clinic to find out if PrEP could work for you.
If you’ve had an exposure to HIV in the last 72 hours, it’s not too late! Did you know that PEP can help reduce your risk of getting HIV? Read more on our PEP page.
Jabs
Are you up to date on your vaccinations? You might be eligible for vaccinations for HPV, Hepatitis A/B and Mpox. Check with your local clinic if you haven’t had these and think you might need them!
The Mpox vaccination programme is ending soon. If you still need to have one or both doses, the deadlines are 16 June 2023 for the first dose, and the end of July 2023 for the second dose.
LGBT Foundation will continue to do all that we can to support LGBTQ+ communities, who have been disproportionately impacted by STI rates. The Sexual Health Team have a range of services, some of which are highlighted below. We are here if you need us!
Some handy links to the Sexual Health Team services:
If you’re in Liverpool or Greater Manchester, you can ordercondoms and lube – they’re free!
Got a sexual health/wellbeing query? Fill out ourAdvice Form
Greater Manchester resident? Book in for one of ourHIV & STI testing appointments
To read UKHSA’s report – Sexually transmitted infections and screening for chlamydia in England, 2022 – click here
