A gonorrhoea vaccine will soon be available in the UK – here’s how it works to protect against the STI

Gonorrhoea, which is caused by the bacterium _Neisseria gonorrhoeae_, is the second most common STI in the UK. Tatiana Shepeleva/ Shutterstock

A vaccine targeting gonorrhoea will soon be rolled out on the NHS. This will make England and Wales the first two countries in the world to offer such a programme.

This move comes amid a sharp rise in gonorrhoea cases in England and increasing concern about antibiotic resistance. In 2023 alone, there were over 85,000 gonorrhoea diagnoses in England. Compared to 2012, where 25,525 cases were reported, this represents a 234% increase over the 11-year period.