Sharp increase in gonorrhoea notifications among young people, EU/EEA, July 2022 to June 2023
Lina Nerlander, Lydia Champezou, Joana Gomes Dias, Guðrún Aspelund, Lina Berlot, Elisavet Constantinou, Asunción Díaz, Jevgenia Epštein, Erika Fogarassy, Víctoria Hernando, Patrick Hoffmann, Derval Igoe, Irena Klavs, Pedro Pinto Leite, Kirsi Liitsola, Angeline McIntyre, Zsuzsanna Molnár, Anne O. Olsen, Yolanda Pires-Afonso, Renāte Putniņa, Kęstutis Rudaitis, Georgios Siakallis, Sacha de Stoppelaar, Barbara Suligoi, Tuula Hannila‐Handelberg, Inga Veličko, Vítor Cabral Veríssimo, Maartje Visser, Maria Wessman, Otilia Mårdh
Abstract
Gonorrhoea cases increased steeply in women aged 20 to 24 years across 15 EU/EEA countries in July to December 2022 and January to June 2023 with, respectively, 73% and 89% more cases reported than expected, based on historical data from 2015 to 2019. Smaller increases among men due to heterosexual transmission were observed in nine EU/EEA countries. Interventions to raise awareness among young people about sexually transmitted infection risks are needed, emphasising the benefit of safe sexual practices and testing.