Syphilis and drug-resistant gonorrhoea increasing

New cases of the sexually transmitted infection syphilis have risen again in England, continuing a trend dating back to the early 2000s.

While the overall number of people diagnosed with gonorrhoea has fallen, there has been a significant increase in the number of cases where the infection is drug resistant, new UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) data, external shows.

Health experts say this is a real concern, although the actual number of drug-resistant cases remains very low.

The NHS recently announced the rollout of the world's first vaccine programme to protect against gonorrhoea, aimed principally at gay and bisexual men.

The World Health Organisation describes antimicrobial resistance as an issue of global concern and one of the biggest threats to global health.

It threatens our ability to treat common infections and to perform life-saving procedures, including chemotherapy for cancer, caesarean sections, hip replacements, organ transplants and other operations.

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Source: BBC News, 3 June 2025