New data from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) highlights a concerning rise in antibiotic-resistant gonorrhoea infections in England.
In 2023, over 85,000 gonorrhoea diagnoses were reported in England, the highest number since records began in 1918, highlighting the importance of regular STI testing. Of graver concern is the increase in ceftriaxone-resistant gonorrhoea, underscoring the ever-growing issue of antimicrobial resistance. Ceftriaxone is the ‘first line’ antibiotic used to treat gonorrhoea in this UK.
Between June 2022 and May 2024, 15 ceftriaxone-resistant gonorrhoea cases were detected in England, including 5 that were found to be extensively drug-resistant (resistant to both first- and second-line treatment options and to other antibiotics). Since the first case detected in England in 2015, there have now been a total of 31 ceftriaxone-resistant gonorrhoea cases, 7 of which were extensively drug-resistant. Most of these cases involve heterosexual individuals who have acquired the infection abroad.
Meanwhile, the latest data from UKHSA also shows that syphilis rates are still rising. In 2023, diagnoses of infectious syphilis rose to 9,513, a 9.4% increase from 2022 (8,693).
While the increase in gonorrhoea and syphilis diagnoses will in part be due to increases in testing, it may also be due to more transmission of these STIs within the population.
