The number of people in the UK with sexually transmitted diseases has risen rapidly in the last 10 years.
Cases of gonorrhoea tripled between 2007 and 2017, while syphilis cases more than doubled over the same period of time.
The UK has the second highest rate of syphilis among men in Europe, and experts believe the rise is connected to homosexual sex.
PrEP
The report on syphilis, by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), suggests the rise is a result of gay men engaging in riskier, unprotected sex with more partners.
It said this was impacted by PrEP – a pill that reduces the risk of HIV infection.
Experts say that many homosexual men who take PrEP are no longer concerned about the virus, and so engage in more risky sexual behaviour.
Mobile apps
The report suggested that mobile apps to help people find sexual partners, and the growing popularity of drug-fuelled sex, were also behind the rise.
Andrew Amato-Gauci, Head of the ECDC programme on sexually transmitted diseases, said the problem was widespread.
He said: “The increases in syphilis infections that we see across Europe, as well as other countries around the world, are a result of several factors such as people having sex without condoms and multiple sexual partners, combined with a reduced fear of acquiring HIV.”
‘Alarming’
Spokesman for the British Association of Sexual Health and HIV Dr Patrick French said the rise was “undoubtedly alarming”.
He said: “When I started working in sexual health 20 years ago syphilis had been eradicated. But now it’s something I see commonly in my clinic and that’s an extraordinary change”.
He suggested there was a strong correlation between the decline in HIV, and the rise in other sexually transmitted diseases.