Europe faces record STI surge as testing expands and sexual habits shift

European health authorities report a 2024 record in sexually transmitted infections, with gonorrhoea at 106,331 cases and syphilis at 45,577, while chlamydia remains the most reported STI at 213,443 and LGV at 3,490. Congenital syphilis cases rose from 78 to 140 across 14 reporting countries. The ECDC urges broader, faster testing and treatment and stronger partner notification, noting that 13 of 29 countries still charge out-of-pocket for basic STI tests, risking widening inequalities unless national STI strategies and surveillance are strengthened.