England to launch 'world first' gonorrhoea vaccination programme

LONDON - 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% 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-resistant 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 9% increase on the previous year and the highest number since 1948, according to UKHSA statistics.