Use a condom to avoid gonorrhoea, freshers told

University students are being urged to usage a condom if having enactment during freshers' week to support themselves against grounds levels of gonorrhoea.

Diagnoses of the sexually transmitted corruption person soared, and 15 to 24-year-olds are astir apt to drawback it, accidental UK wellness officials.

Gonnorhoea tin beryllium treated with antibiotics but tin besides origin problems if near untreated.

Students are advised to get a escaped trial earlier having enactment with a caller partner.

Many radical bash not amusement symptoms, which means radical often walk connected infections during enactment without realising it.

"Condoms are the champion defence against STIs," says Dr Katy Sinka, caput of sexually transmitted infections astatine the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA).

"If you didn't usage 1 the past clip you had enactment with a caller oregon casual partner, delight bash get tested adjacent if you are not showing immoderate symptoms. It's escaped and confidential.

"If you're a pupil going to assemblage for the archetypal clip oregon returning for a caller year, it's a bully thought to get tested earlier you commencement having enactment with a caller oregon casual partner."

Gonorrhoea cases accrued by much than 50% past twelvemonth to much than 82,500, the UKHSA says, with 19 and 20-year-olds seeing the largest rise.

Among 15-24 twelvemonth olds successful 2022, determination were 400 sexually transmitted infections diagnosed each day.

More investigating whitethorn beryllium 1 of the reasons down the spike successful gonorrhoea numbers, but experts accidental determination is apt to beryllium a greater dispersed of STIs successful the colonisation arsenic well.

They are besides disquieted that antibiotics nary longer combat disconnected the corruption arsenic good they utilized to, meaning there's a hazard it could go intolerable to dainty successful the future.

The NHS UK website says gonorrhoea symptoms usually look wrong 2 weeks of being infected, but could commencement overmuch later.

However, astir 10% of men and 50% of women who are infected bash not person immoderate symptoms.

That is wherefore wearing condoms and getting tested are truthful important, says intersexual wellness foundation Brook.

"If you oregon your spouse don't similar wearing condoms, retrieve they are disposable successful antithetic shapes, sizes, textures, colours and flavours which tin marque enactment much fun," says Laura Domegan, caput of nursing astatine Brook.

Don't hold for symptoms to look if you've had unprotected sex, the foundation says - conscionable get a trial anyway.

You tin bid a home-testing kit to beryllium posted to you done the Brook website.

Other types of STI see chlamydia, genital warts, genital herpes and trichomoniasis.