UK To Blame For 55% Of the ‘Gonorrhea Epidemic’ In Europe

Gonorrhea cases in Europe were up by 13,000 in Europe and the United Kingdom continues to be at the center of this sexually transmitted disease in the continent.

“Reports of the STI rose by 17 per cent in 2017 to almost 90,000, in what one expert has called an ‘epidemic’ – and more than half of them happened in the UK.

There are now 22.2 cases of gonorrhea per 100,000 people in the EU, the worst rate for at least four years. And the UK’s rate is more than three times as bad, with 74.7 in every 100,000 people diagnosed with the painful sexually transmitted infection.”

Experts in Europe are saying that this information does not show the full picture of the real statistics. This is because the information depends on the cases that are reported. The truth is that there are many other gonorrhea cases that are treated without being reported. Other experts are claiming that the popularity of online dating sites could be the reason behind the rise in unprotected sex which is casual.

“Figures revealed by the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control show the UK has the highest rate of gonorrhea, which more than 74 cases per 100,000 people, followed by Ireland (47) and Denmark (33). There were 49,156 cases of gonorrhea confirmed in the UK in 2017, making up 55 per cent of the European total of 89,239. Britons having sex without condoms have left the nation with more gonorrhea infections than all other European countries combined.”

To show the seriousness of gonorrhea cases in the UK, the second country was France with just 9,177 recorded diagnoses. This is according to figures released by the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control. The difference between UK and second place France shows that the UK is at the center of the epidemic.

“ECDC expert Gianfranco Spiteri said: ‘We have to bear in mind that the numbers we see do not even show the true extent of the gonorrhoea epidemic in Europe.

‘Many infections are not diagnosed due to lack of symptoms or limited access to diagnostics or simply are not reported.’

The report showed cases of the common STI soared by 51 per cent between 2013 and 2017, from around 60,000, or around 14.5 per 100,000 people. Among 27 EU and EEA (European Economic Area) countries compared in the report, Cyprus had the lowest rate of the infection, with just two cases – 0.2 per 100,000 people.”

So, what Is Gonorrhea?

Gonorrhea refers to a sexually transmitted disease that is caused by Neisseria gonococcus or gonorrhea bacteria. The bacterial is normally found in fluids from the vagina and penis. The infection spreads through unprotected vaginal, anal and oral sex. It might also be spreads through the sharing of sex toys without using condoms. The infection affects the eyes, rectum, throat, cervix and urethra.

“Around one in 10 men and half of women experience no symptoms. However, these can include:

• Thick green or yellow discharge from the genitals
• Pain when urinating
• Bleeding between periods in women

Treatment is usually a single antibiotic injection and tablet. Gonorrhea can be prevented by using condoms during sex and not sharing sex toys.”

Back To The Numbers

Experts are pointing fingers to casual sex without protection as one of the main factors that are fueling the spread of gonorrhea in Europe.

“Nations in western and northern Europe were worst affected, with Ireland’s rate the second highest (46.9 per 100,000), followed by Denmark (33.3) and Norway (26.6).

Measured by raw numbers, Spain (8,200), the Netherlands (6,794), Sweden (2,515), Belgium (2,271) and Ireland (2,245) had the most infections.”

The fact that the UK has high numbers when it comes to gonorrhea infections does not necessarily mean that people in the country are more promiscuous. It could mean that there might be better recording when it comes to diagnosed cases. The fight against gonorrhea and other sexually transmitted infections start with responsible sex engagement and the proper use of protection methods.

Source: This Content first appeared on UK is to blame for 55% of Europe’s ‘gonorrhea epidemic’