GGD IJsselland records more syphilis and HIV cases in 2025

GGD IJsselland recorded 98 cases of syphilis in 2025, more than double the 47 cases diagnosed during the previous year, according to figures released from the annual sexual health review.

Rising Syphilis And HIV Numbers Drive Regional Concern

The annual overview, titled the Thermometer seksuele gezondheid, documents shifting trends across testing and public health in the Overijssel region. Alongside the increase in syphilis, HIV diagnoses rose from four to eight cases between 2024 and 2025. Hepatitis B was detected four times in 2025 after yielding no registered cases the prior year. Vera van Uem, an infectious disease control physician at GGD IJsselland, called the upward trajectory in these specific infections concerning due to the severe health consequences they carry when left undetected and untreated.

With good STI care, we can detect and treat infections early. By doing so, we not only help the individual themselves, but we also prevent further spread of STIs. That is how we protect the health of the entire region

Lower Positivity Rate Reaches High-Risk Groups

Despite the higher number of absolute diagnoses for select infections, the overall positivity rate among clinic visitors declined. In 2025, 24.6 percent of people who visited the STI clinic tested positive for one or more infections, down from 27.9 percent in 2024. GGD IJsselland still maintains the highest STI positivity rate in the eastern part of the Netherlands, exceeding the broader regional average of 20.1 percent. The health authority notes that this indicates the testing services successfully reach individuals who face an elevated risk of exposure.

Health Service Trains Professionals and Students to Combat Transmission

To combat transmission, the health service trained 490 professionals in relational and sexual education during 2025 and prepared 190 vocational education students to act as peer educators. Public health campaigns focusing on Valentine’s Day, the summer season, Coming Out Day, and Purple Friday reached more than 3,000 young people. The anonymous Sense consultation service for youth handled 161 inquiries regarding relationships, contraception, and sexual identity in 2025, compared to 135 visits the previous year.