A worrying statistic.
Provisional 2018 data from the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) revealed a 7% increase in sexually transmitted infections in Ireland when compared to 2017.
According to the report, syphilis infections were up 22%, while common bacterial sexually transmitted infections gonorrhoea and chlamydia were up 7%.
Two main groups were affected the most – young people (aged 15 to 24), and men who have sex with men (MSM).
Where information on how the infection was transmitted was made available to the HPSC, it was found that approximately four in five syphilis cases and almost two thirds of gonorrhoea cases were in MSM.
Information on free sexual health services in Ireland, as well as further advice on preventing STIs, is available here.
Sexual Wellbeing has urged people to be more careful with regards to their sexual health.
They said that if you or your partner has any sign of an infection, cuts or sores in the genital area, do not have any form of sex, including oral sex, until you have been tested and treated.
With men who have sex with men being the most likely group to get an STI, they are urged to see the Man2Man website for information.
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