Key Summary
- Syphilis diagnoses among gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men dropped by 18.7 per cent, hitting their lowest levels since 2016.
- Total STI diagnoses across England fell by 8.3 per cent, with notable double-digit decreases in both syphilis and gonorrhea nationwide.
- Despite positive trends, infectious syphilis cases among heterosexual women rose by 4.8 per cent, and overall chlamydia testing among young women dropped by nearly 10 per cent.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) data shows that syphilis diagnoses in gay and bisexual men have fallen to their lowest level since 2016, but official continue to be worried about sexually transmitted infection (STI) numbers among young people.
It declined by 18.7 per cent in a year from 6,349 in 2024 to 5,164 in 2025.
Overall, there was a significant fall in STIs in England, with overall diagnoses down 8.3 per cent.
The downward trend was reflected across several major infection categories nationwide. Total infectious syphilis diagnoses across all patient groups fell by 13.5 per cent (from 9,553 to 8,262 cases), while gonorrhea cases saw a 10.9 per cent decrease, dropping from 71,766 down to 63,943.
First-episode genital warts also saw a modest decline of 7.3 per cent, falling to 23,282 cases over the year.
While the UKHSA welcomed these decreasing trends, officials cautioned that overall STI rates remain high. The burden of these infections continues to disproportionately impact young people aged 15 to 24, gay and bisexual men, and individuals living in economically deprived areas.
While infectious syphilis diagnoses fell overall, diagnoses in heterosexual women increased 4.8 per cent - from 838 cases in 2024 to 878 in 2025.
Among young women aged 15 to 24, who are recommended to be screened through the National Chlamydia Screening Programme, there was a 9.4 per cent decrease in the number of chlamydia tests carried out, from 604,143 in 2024 to 547,308 in 2025, and a 13.6 per cent decrease in chlamydia diagnoses, from 53,408 in 2024 to 46,122 in 2025.
