In Region Västerbotten, cases rose from 8 to 23 between 2021 and 2022, and across the country the increase is 25 percent.
The increase is particularly large among people under the age of 25, but those over 30 are also among the infected.
- The increase may be due to the fact that we have lived during the pandemic and now there is a need to meet and be close to each other, says Eva-Lena Öberg, curator at the skin clinic at Norrland University Hospital in Umeå.
Protection against pregnancy is considered most important
She also highlights dating apps as an explanation for the increase in sexual contacts.
- I know that there are many men and women who have asked if you have an IUD or some other form of contraception before you have sex.
If you come to the conclusion that there is protection against pregnancy, then you drive anyway and don't think about the fact that there are diseases that you also have to protect yourself against, says Eva-Lena Öberg.
What advice can you give to avoid contracting sexually transmitted diseases?
- I want to say that if you have an active sex life with more than one person and are not monogamous, you should protect yourself and get tested if you are worried, says Eva-Lena Öberg.
In the clip, she tells more about the increased spread of venereal diseases.