A young couple hold hands.
Sexually transmitted disease gonorrhea is on the rise in the U.K., government officials have warned.
More than 82,500 cases were diagnosed last year — a record number and a rise of more than 50% on 2021, according to the country’s Health Security Agency (UKHSA).
The body urged members of the public — including college students about to begin their next semester — to use condoms when having casual sex to limit the spread of the STD.
The sharp rise in cases may in part be down to an increase in the number of tests being performed. In the U.K., free sexual health tests are widely available.
Some STDs like gonorrhea can be symptomless and may go unnoticed for years. So initiatives to improve access to sexual health checks, alongside campaigns that promote regular testing, may have contributed to the number of cases detected in recent years.
Nonetheless, officials say the scale of the increase year-on-year points to rising spread among the population.
What is gonorrhea?
Gonorrhea is a sexually transmitted disease caused by infection with a bacteria called Neisseria gonorrhoea or gonococcus.
This bacteria can be passed from one person to another via semen and vaginal fluid. It can live in the cervix, the urethra, the rectum and the throat, and can be passed on during oral, anal and vaginal sex.
The disease can also be transmitted to babies during labor, so pregnant women are advised to seek testing and treatment where necessary.
Gonorrhea can’t be passed on by kissing, cuddling, sitting on toilet seats or spending time in swimming pools, according to sexual health charity Brook.
The disease can cause symptoms similar to bladder infections in women, such as a burning sensation when urinating, unusual vaginal discharge and bleeding between periods, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
About half of women with gonorrea do not experience any symptoms, and they’re often mild in those that do. But the disease can cause complications that can lead to infertility in both men and women, so testing is important.
Men with gonorrhea may also experience unusual discharge and a burning sensation when urinating. Less commonly, their testicles may become swollen or sensitive.
People infected rectally may show symptoms like discharge, itchiness, bleeding and soreness around their anus.
Without treatment, gonorrhea can affect other parts of the body, potentially leading to conditions that cause infertility.
People most at risk of gonorrhea in the U.S. are young, sexually active adults between the ages of 18 and 25.
Gonorrea can usually be treated with antibiotics, but officials warn the disease is becoming more resistant to existing drugs.
Dr Katy Sinka, UKHSA Head of Sexually Transmitted Infections Dr Katy Sina said in a statement that STDs “can have serious consequences”, but added that there are “easy steps you can take to reduce your risk of infection.”
Condoms, she said, are “the best defense” agains STDs like gonorrhea.
Laura Domegan, head of nursing at sexual health charity Brook, told members of the public not to “worry” if they have had unprotected sex, but to just get tested.
“Anyone” can get an STD, she added. “It doesn’t matter how many times you’ve had sex or what type of sex you’re having.”