STI rates on the rise among gay men

6th July 2016 - New figures show a 10% increase in the number of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) reported in England last year compared to 2014.

There were 434,456 STIs diagnosed in England in 2015, of which 54,275 were among gay, bisexual or other men who have sex with men, says Public Health England (PHE).

The rise has happened against a small overall drop of 3% in STIs in 2015 compared with 2014. The fall is being attributed to a 7% drop in diagnoses of genital warts due to the national HPV vaccination programme, and a 4% decrease in chlamydia cases.

Gonorrhoea

However, cases of gonorrhoea went up 11% and syphilis diagnoses rose 20%, continuing a 5-year trend that has mostly affected gay, bisexual or other men who have sex with men, the figures show.

Overall, the impact of STIs also remain high in young people under 25, says PHE.

Dr Gwenda Hughes, head of STI surveillance at PHE says in a statement: "The new statistics show STI rates are still very high among gay men and young adults.

"We need to do more to raise awareness about STIs and how they can be prevented, especially the effectiveness of using condoms.

"We recommend that anyone having sex with a new or casual partner uses condoms and tests regularly for HIV and STIs. It is also vital to ensure there is easy access to STI testing and treatment services that meet the needs of local populations."

Prevention and testing

PHE recommends:

• Prevention, focusing on groups at highest risk, including young adults, men who have sex with men and black ethnic minorities
• Consistent and correct use of condoms which can significantly reduce risk of infection
• Rapid access to treatment and notifying any partners who may be affected which can reduce the spread of infection
• Regular testing for HIV and STIs is essential for good sexual health. In particular, anyone under 25 who is sexually active should be screened for chlamydia annually, and on change of sexual partner; and men who have sex with men should test annually for HIV and STIs and every 3 months if having condomless sex with new or casual partners.

Funding

Commenting on the new figures in an emailed statement, Dr Michael Brady, medical director at the Terrence Higgins Trust, says: "Rather than scaling down chlamydia testing, we should be protecting the health of our young people and investing in essential sexual health services including chlamydia testing. I am concerned, in this climate of cuts to local authorities' public health budgets, that we will continue to see an ever-growing impact on the nation’s sexual health.

"In light of today's data, the government and local authorities now need to do everything they can to fully fund sexual health services and make STI testing as simple and accessible as possible. We cannot expect to avoid a sexual health crisis in England unless we invest in effective STI testing, treatment and prevention services in a range of settings, and unless all young people receive mandatory and high quality sex and relationships education in all schools."