Luxembourg is experiencing a significant increase in syphilis infections, Health Minister Martine Deprez confirmed in response to a parliamentary question from Pirate MP Sven Clement.
With cases rising sharply across Europe in recent years, the Ministry of Health is launching a prevention campaign to raise awareness about sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). The initiative aims to encourage young people to minimise risky sexual behaviour.
In 2023 alone, 606 cases of syphilis were reported in Luxembourg – nearly 30% more than the previous year. According to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), Luxembourg now has the highest syphilis rate among the 30 countries surveyed, with just under 25 cases per 100,000 inhabitants.
Syphilis cases must be legally reported in Luxembourg under a 2018 law, giving the country a more precise tracking system than some others. However, the rise in infections is also linked to changing risk behaviours, including a decline in condom use and a greater number of sexual partners, according to Minister Deprez.
Anonymous and free testing is available, with or without a prescription, at: Family Planning Centres, Centre Hospitalier de Luxembourg (CHL), Laboratoire National de Santé (LNS), and Centre Hospitalier Emile Mayrisch (CHEM).
