Overview

• The Robert Koch Institute reported 9,519 syphilis cases nationwide in 2024, a 3.9% increase from 2023 and a slower rise than the 23.7% jump seen in 2022.
• Berlin recorded the highest incidence at 35.7 cases per 100,000 residents, followed by Hamburg at 30.3, while Brandenburg (4.5), Thuringia (6.6) and Saxony-Anhalt (6.7) had the lowest rates.
• Most infections occur among men who have sex with men, according to the RKI.
• The institute points to more anonymous sexual contacts, party-drug use in sexual contexts, and the spread of dating apps as possible contributors to the rise.
• Reduced condom use after PrEP adoption and increased detection through regular PrEP-linked screening may both influence the reported numbers, the RKI said.