More and more young people are contracting gonorrhea

ANP Productions | Source: ANP

Today at 07:19

The number of cases of gonorrhea is increasing, especially among young adults. In two years, the number of people who contract the venereal disease has almost doubled. The National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) does not provide an explanation for the rapid increase.

The venereal disease was diagnosed 13,853 times last year. That is 31 percent more than a year earlier, when there were 10,600 confirmed cases. In 2021, 7,842 people contracted gonorrhea.

About half of all cases are found in men who have sex with men. That is about 20 percent more than a year earlier. The large increase is among women (78 percent more) and heterosexual men (51 percent more). According to the RIVM, this mainly concerns “people with a high level of education, without a migration background”.

Inflammations

Gonorrhea can lead to inflammation of the urethra, rectum and throat in men and women. Men can also get an infection of the epididymis, while in women the cervix and fallopian tubes can also become inflamed. Men almost always experience symptoms, including a yellow-green or watery discharge. This is less common in women.

Little change is seen in the other venereal diseases. The number of chlamydia cases fell, syphilis increased slightly and the number of HIV infections remained stable.