Data from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) indicates that the sharp rise in sexually transmitted disease rates in Europe is not related to an increase in the number of diagnosed cases.
According to The Economist, the number of sexually transmitted infections decreased during the coronavirus pandemic, but has risen sharply since 2021.
The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) announced in May 2024 that nearly 100,000 cases of gonorrhea were expected in Europe during 2024, more than triple the number recorded in 2015. The number of syphilis cases also more than doubled, reaching approximately 46,000. Chlamydia was an exception, with cases declining after peaking in 2022, returning to 2015 levels.
Stella Pivol, head of the sexually transmitted diseases unit at the WHO Regional Office for Europe, notes that "there is a real increase in transmission."
According to the magazine, many experts link the rise in sexually transmitted infections to the emergence of dating apps, but Dutch physician Henri de Vries believes these services existed long before the surge in infections. He thinks the problem may be related to the decline in condom use.
However, the article cites a related study conducted by the World Health Organization, in which the survey included participants from only one age group.
According to the article, one hypothesis is that pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for HIV may lead to an increase in the number of men, particularly men who have sex with men, who abandon the use of condoms, a finding supported by a study conducted by a British hospital specializing in sexual health.
