Sexually transmitted superbug warning as infections soar 26% in a year

STD diagnoses in England rise 5 per cent in 2018, but jump in gonorrhoea a particular concern after cases untreatable with frontline antibiotics, PHE says

Gonorrhoea diagnoses in England have risen to their highest level for 40 years and jumped 26 per cent since 2017, sparking warnings from health chiefs about the threat from drug resistant strains.

Public Health England figures show there were 447,694 sexually transmitted infections diagnosed in 2018, a rise of 5 per cent in a year.

The biggest increase was in gonorrhoea where there were 56,259 cases diagnosed, 14,000 more than in 2017.

Experts warned about the UK’s first case of “super-gonorrhoea” a year ago, although the man was eventually cured it required extensive treatment with a cocktail of drugs usually held in reserve for the most serious infection.

“This is of concern given the three cases of extensively drug resistant Neisseria gonorrhoeae identified in England in 2018,” PHE warned.

“The number of gonorrhoea diagnoses in 2018 was the largest annual number reported since 1978, since 2009, gonorrhoea diagnoses have risen by 249 per cent (from 16,141 to 56,259), mostly due to increases among gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men (referred to collectively as ‘MSM’).”

Sexual health groups have warned about the damaging impact of repeated government cuts to sexual health programmes.

These disproportionately hit some groups, including young people, black ethnic minorities and MSM.

While testing, at clinics and online, rose 7 per cent, the latest figures show that testing through the National Chlamydia Screening Programme, aimed at 15-24-year-olds who are at highest risk, has fallen more than 22 per cent since 2014.

Testing fell again, by 1 per cent, last year but the number of chlamydia cases rose by 2 per cent since 2017, with roughly one in 10 tests resulting in a positive diagnosis, 131,000 infections in all.

Syphilis and herpes cases also continued to rise, jumping 5 per cent and 3 per cent respectively.

“The continuing escalation in gonorrhoea and syphilis diagnoses must be addressed as an urgent health priority, otherwise there is the potential for devastating consequences to the wellbeing of the wider population and the health system as a whole,” said Dr Olwen Williams, president of the British Association for Sexual Health and HIV.

“Recent years have unfortunately however seen severe and damaging cuts to sexual health service funding, jeopardising our ability to meet these challenges at a critical time.

“The workforce issues currently being experienced have left the sector at breaking point.”

Cases of genital warts fell by 3 per cent, to 57,318, and halved in 15-17-year-olds, because of the routine vaccination of school age girls against the human papillomavirus (HPV).

Dr Gwenda Hughes, head of STI surveillance at PHE, said: “The rise in sexually transmitted infections is concerning. STIs can pose serious consequences to health – both your own and that of current and future sexual partners.

“No matter what age you are, or what type of relationship you are in, it’s important to look after your sexual health. If you have sex with a new or casual partner, make sure you use condoms and get regularly tested.”