Record-breaking STI cases are affecting gay and bisexual men across Europe
queerlanmedia.com
For years, conversations around sexual health in the LGBTQ+ community have evolved. HIV is no longer the only topic dominating the discussion, thanks to advances like PrEP, and increased awareness. But while many people have understandably focused on HIV prevention, another public health reality has been quietly growing in the background.
Syphilis and gonorrhoea are now reaching record levels across Europe. And the numbers are impossible to ignore.
According to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are increasing at an alarming rate across the continent. Gonorrhoea cases have risen dramatically, reaching more than 106,000 reported infections in Europe in 2024—a staggering increase of 303% compared to 2015. DATA HERE.
Syphilis cases have also more than doubled during the same period, with over 45,500 reported infections across Europe.
These are not small fluctuations. They represent one of the most significant increases in STI transmission seen in more than a decade.
Why Is This Happening?
There is no single explanation. The ECDC points to several factors that are likely contributing to the rise in infections.
One factor is changing sexual behaviour. Many experts believe that increased sexual networking, larger numbers of sexual partners, and reduced condom use are playing a role.
The way people meet has also changed dramatically over the last decade. Dating apps have made connections faster, easier, and more accessible than ever before. While these platforms have created incredible opportunities for LGBTQ+ people to connect and build community, they have also transformed sexual networks in ways that can facilitate the spread of infections.
Another important factor is that testing has improved. More countries are expanding STI screening programs, increasing access to community-based testing, and making home testing more widely available. This means infections that previously went undiagnosed are now being detected and reported.
In other words, part of the increase reflects a better understanding of what is actually happening. However, health authorities are clear that improved testing alone does not explain the scale of the rise.
The infections themselves are spreading more widely.
Why Gay and Bisexual Men Are Particularly Affected
The ECDC reports that men who have sex with men remain the group most affected by both syphilis and gonorrhoea across Europe.
This is not about blame. It is about understanding where public health interventions are most urgently needed.
For decades, LGBTQ+ communities have demonstrated extraordinary resilience in responding to health crises. From the HIV epidemic to the fight for access to PrEP, community-led action has repeatedly saved lives.
Today, sexual health experts are warning that the same level of attention is needed again. Many younger gay men have grown up in a world where HIV is no longer perceived as the life-threatening crisis it once was. This is largely thanks to incredible medical progress.
But that progress may have unintentionally shifted attention away from other sexually transmitted infections. The reality is that gonorrhoea and syphilis have never disappeared. They are still here. And right now, they are spreading faster than they have in years.
The Dangerous Myth That These Infections Are “No Big Deal”
One of the biggest challenges facing sexual health professionals is the perception that gonorrhoea and syphilis are easily treatable and therefore not particularly serious.
The truth is more complicated. When diagnosed early, both infections can usually be treated successfully. The problem is that many people have no symptoms at all. Someone can carry an infection for weeks or even months without realizing it.
During that time, they may unknowingly transmit it to partners. Untreated gonorrhoea can cause chronic pain, reproductive health complications, and in some cases infertility and untreated syphilis can become significantly more dangerous.
If left untreated for long periods, syphilis can affect the heart, blood vessels, brain, and nervous system. In severe cases, it can lead to permanent neurological damage. These are not simply temporary inconveniences.
They are serious medical conditions.
Shame Is Not Prevention
One of the most important lessons from LGBTQ+ health advocacy is that shame never works. Fear-based messaging does not stop infections. Judgment does not stop infections. Silence certainly does not stop infections.
Testing does.
Education does.
Open conversations do.
The goal is not to tell people to stop having sex. The goal is to help people have safer sex and to make informed decisions about their health because sex is a normal part of life and sexual health should be too.
What Can We Do?
Public health experts across Europe continue to recommend a combination of practical prevention strategies:
Get tested regularly, especially if you have multiple sexual partners.
Use condoms whenever possible.
Learn the symptoms of common STIs, but remember that many infections have no symptoms at all.
Inform partners if you receive a positive diagnosis.
Complete treatment exactly as prescribed.
Encourage open conversations about testing before sexual encounters.
Include STI screening as part of your routine healthcare, not only when you think something is wrong.
The most effective sexual health strategy is not fear. It is consistency.
If You're in Finland, You're Not Alone
For LGBTQ+ people living in or visiting Finland, support is available, confidential, and community-focused.
Hivpoint provides free and anonymous HIV and STI testing, along with professional counseling and sexual health services. Their work has made them one of the most trusted organizations in the country for LGBTQ+ sexual health support. STI testing confidentially and with expertise. More information about STI testing HERE.
Positiiviset – hiv Finland offers advocacy, counseling, peer support, and community spaces for people living with HIV. Their mission goes beyond healthcare, helping people build connection, confidence, and community. HIV testing HERE.
These organizations understand that sexual health is about more than test results. It is about dignity, information, access, and support.
This Is a Community Conversation
The rise in syphilis and gonorrhoea across Europe is not a reason for panic, but it is a reason to pay attention. The LGBTQ+ community has always been at its strongest when information replaces stigma and when health becomes a shared responsibility rather than an individual burden.
The numbers coming out of Europe are a wake-up call. Not because sex is dangerous. Not because people are doing something wrong.
But because sexual health requires the same attention, honesty, and care that we give to every other part of our wellbeing. Getting tested is not a sign that something is wrong. It is a sign that you are taking care of yourself—and of the community around you.
