Genital herpes cases rising in England despite an overall drop in STIs

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has published its 2025 data on sexually transmitted infections. According to BBC reporting, the overall caseload fell by 5 percent compared to 2024, settling at 393,000 cases for the year. Within that headline, however, one sub-trend stands out: genital herpes cases climbed by 18 percent last year and now run at approximately 38,000 a year.

UKHSA chief executive Dr Susan Hopkins told the BBC that 'the overall drop is encouraging, but the rise in genital herpes deserves serious attention'. Hopkins added that herpes cases are concentrated particularly among women aged 15 to 24, and that the distribution of sexual-health clinic attendees confirms that trend.

Genital herpes is caused by herpes simplex virus (HSV) types 1 and 2, transmitted mostly through sexual contact. There is no cure for the condition: antiviral medication eases symptoms and reduces the frequency of recurrence, but the virus cannot be cleared from the body. A proportion of cases are asymptomatic, which makes testing and awareness work clinically important.

The fall in gonorrhoea and chlamydia cases over the same period is striking. Gonorrhoea cases dropped by 8 percent and chlamydia by 6 percent. UKHSA said this was supported by a modest rise in condom use among young adults, alongside earlier diagnoses through clinic visits.

The explanation for the rise in genital herpes cases is still under discussion. The UKHSA report notes that a new rapid PCR testing protocol introduced in 2024 has detected cases that previously went undiagnosed. Former British Association for Sexual Health and HIV (BASHH) president Dr John McSorley told the BBC that 'improvements in diagnostic capacity could partly explain why the recorded numbers are higher'.

Herpes management is clinically more complex. Antiviral medication, including aciclovir and valaciclovir, eases symptoms but does not eliminate carriage of the virus. Notifying sexual partners, condom use, and variables related to immune status all play a part in the layered task of prevention. The share of treatment costs within the NHS budget may also rise in the coming period.

UKHSA's science and policy director, Professor Andrew Pollard, said 'early diagnosis matters at both the individual and population level; current treatments can significantly reduce the risk of onward transmission'. Pollard added that school-based sexual-health education has been more broadly incorporated into the revised national curriculum since March 2025.

The report also touches on Mpox cases. Cases that re-emerged in 2024 declined in 2025, but UKHSA stressed that the vaccination campaign and outreach to higher-risk groups must continue. The wider sexual-health report also recorded a 4 percent reduction in HIV cases.

Richard Angell, the chief executive of the national sexual-health charity Terrence Higgins Trust, told the BBC that 'young people's access to free sexual-health services, particularly testing and counselling, must be protected; budget cuts must not weaken those services'. Angell added that, despite reports of clinic closures in recent years, UKHSA remained firm on service continuity.

The next UKHSA report is due in September 2026. Early findings suggest a slow upward trend in herpes cases among adults over 25 as well. Individual recommendations include regular testing when sexual partners change, prompt medical consultation when symptoms appear, and reduced sexual contact when sores are visible. This article is not medical advice; people with specific conditions should consult a healthcare professional.