LONDON, May 21, 2025 (BSS/AFP) - Health authorities in England on Wednesday 
announced the rollout of a world first vaccine programme for gonorrhoea, amid 
record levels of the sexually transmitted disease.

Gonorrhoea cases in England in 2023 topped 85,000, the highest number since 
records began in 1918, with doctors warning of rising levels of antibiotic 
resistance.

Richard Angell, chief executive of the Terrence Higgins Trust, the UK's 
leading HIV and sexual health charity, hailed the initiative as a "game 
changer".

"This alone could cut 40 percent of new gonorrhoea cases," he said.

State-funded National Health Service (NHS) chief Amanda Doyle said it would 
be the world's "first" routine vaccination programme for the disease.

The NHS director of primary and community care described it as a "huge step 
forward for sexual health", adding that it would also help "reduce the rising 
rates of antibiotic resistance strains of the bacteria".

The programme deploys an existing jab normally used to protect children 
against the meningococcal B disease, a serious bacterial infection that can 
cause meningitis and sepsis.

Known as 4CMenB, it is part of the routine childhood vaccination programme 
given to babies at eight weeks, 16 weeks and one year.

Under the new programme, the jabs will be offered to those considered most at 
risk -- gay and bisexual men with a recent history of multiple sexual 
partners or a bacterial sexually transmitted infection.

"This vaccination programme is a hugely welcome intervention at a time when 
we're seeing very concerning levels of gonorrhoea, including antibiotic 
resistant gonorrhoea," said NHS consultant epidemiologist Sema Mandal.

"In 2023 we saw gonorrhoea diagnoses reach their highest since records began 
in 1918," added the deputy director of the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA).

During appointments, patients will also be offered jabs for mpox, human 
papillomavirus (HPV), and hepatitis A and B.

For decades, Gonorrhoea, nicknamed "the clap", along with syphilis, have been 
regarded as Victorian-era diseases largely eradicated due to modern diagnosis 
and medicine.

Like gonorrhoea, however, the number of syphilis cases has also seen a 
resurgence.

In 2023, 9,513 cases were reported, a more than nine percent increase on the 
previous year and the highest number since 1948, according to UKHSA 
statistics.