Traditional Venereal Diseases (VD) became less common in the 1980s as people adopted safer sex behaviours possibly related to HIV media campaigns. However, since 2000 venereal diseases have returned with large rises in gonorrhoea in both heterosexuals and men who have sex with men. There have also been increases in drug resistant strains of gonorrhoea requiring changes in antibiotic regimens. There is an ongoing epidemic of early syphilis in Glasgow as in many other cities. The largest UK outbreak is in Manchester. There are also syphilis outbreaks in Brighton, London, Bristol, Dublin and elsewhere outside the UK. Accurate diagnosis, appropriate antimicrobial therapy and partner notification of these conditions are best performed by GUM specialist teams. All patients with suspected syphilis and gonorrhoea should therefore be referred to GU Medicine. Referral to GUM

For further information on epidemiology including national data for Scotland click here

For information on England/Wales/whole UK, click here: www.hpa.org.uk/infections/topics_az/hiv_and_sti/default.htm

Children aged 12 or under should be referred to Yorkhill Hospital in the first instance to maureen.kinney@yorkhill.scot.nhs.uk if a sexually transmitted infection is suspected.

Current UK STI Guidelines can be found here

Downloadable directory of all UK Genitourinary Medicine Clinics http://www.agum.org.uk/directory.htm