Reacción a "Gonorrhoea and syphilis infections reach their highest levels in Europe in more than a decade"

Indeed, over the last decade or so, STIs such as gonorrhoea, syphilis and, to a lesser extent, chlamydia have seen a clear rise across Europe. The main reasons lie in changes in people’s behaviour. Condom use is becoming increasingly rare; they are used less frequently. Secondly, there has been an increase in the number of sexual partners—not in the frequency of sexual intercourse, which would be the least of our concerns—and this is particularly true amongst the younger population, starting from puberty, amongst teenagers and those in their twenties. This is truly worrying, as these STIs can cause serious problems such as infertility, chronic pain, and so on.

One important aspect highlighted in this report is the rise in congenital syphilis. This is a very serious complication that can even lead to the death of the newborn or cause lifelong sequelae.

In Spain, the management of STIs is relatively well regulated. Primary healthcare centres have the authority and capacity to carry out screening and treatment, including prevention campaigns, but the most important thing would be to raise awareness among the general public that this problem exists and that the condom is the most effective and cheapest way to prevent the transmission of these diseases.