A European Union Concerted Action was initiated in 1990 to monitor the prevalence of HIV among STD patients in Western Europe. This data was used to assessed trends in gonorrhea across Western Europe between 1991 and 1996. Where possible, the trends were validated by comparing them with national laboratory reports or data from more extensive STD networks.

A total of 7912 episodes of gonorrhea were collected in the nine countries between 1991 and 1996. In most networks, there was a decline in the number of cases of gonorrhea among heterosexual men and women. The decline was most marked in the scandinavian countries. Decreases were also observed among homo/bisexual men, but in some networks - England and Wales, The Netherlands, Scotland and to a lesser extent Switzerland - an increase was observed in more recent years. This increase was mainly due to an increase among the older age group (25 years and above). The data were suggestive of a slightly increasing age distribution of patients with an episode of gonorrhea among heterosexual men. This was not the case for homo/bisexual men. The trends observed in six of the sentinel networks were confirmed by trends in national laboratory reports or data from more extensive networks.

These data indicate that progress has been achieved in the prevention and control of gonorrhea in Western Europe. The findings among homo/bisexual men indicate a possible increase in risk sexual behaviours in a number of countries in Western Europe.