Overview
- The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control’s May 21 report showed 106,331 gonorrhea cases and 45,577 syphilis cases in 2024, the highest totals since monitoring began.
- Cases of congenital syphilis nearly doubled from 78 in 2023 to 140 in 2024 across 14 reporting countries, reflecting gaps in antenatal screening, follow-up and treatment.
- Men who have sex with men account for the majority of gonorrhea and syphilis diagnoses while syphilis is rising among women of reproductive age, increasing risk to newborns.
- ECDC issued January 2026 guidance on doxycycline post‑exposure prophylaxis for high‑risk individuals but cautioned against broad use because high levels of antimicrobial resistance could make gonorrhea harder to treat.
- The agency highlighted structural barriers that fuel transmission, noting 13 of 29 reporting countries still charge for basic STI tests and many national strategies and surveillance systems need updating to curb the decade‑long rise.