England's Herpes Diagnoses Rose While Other STIs Fell

Originally surfaced June 8, 2026, drawing on UKHSA annual STI data published June 2, 2026 and a UKHSA herpes explainer published June 5, 2026.

England's annual count of sexually transmitted infection diagnoses fell in 2025, but herpes moved the other way. The UK Health Security Agency reported 334,151 new STI diagnoses in England in 2025, down from 364,261 in 2024. That is an 8.3 percent decline.

First episode genital herpes diagnoses rose from 27,914 in 2024 to 28,779 in 2025, a 3.1 percent increase. UKHSA highlighted the same 3.1 percent rise in a June 5 herpes explainer published a few days after the annual surveillance release.

The phrasing matters. The table refers to first episode genital herpes diagnoses, not every person living with HSV and not every recurrence. Surveillance counts also reflect who gets tested, which clinics people use, how symptoms are recognized, and how diagnoses are recorded. A one-year increase in England is a public-health signal, not a personal risk calculator.

Why herpes testing is tricky

Herpes simplex virus comes in two main types. HSV-1 is most often associated with oral herpes, though it can also cause genital infection. HSV-2 is more strongly associated with genital herpes. Either type can be transmitted even when symptoms are mild or absent, which is one reason herpes statistics can be hard to interpret.

Testing is not one-size-fits-all. When a person has an active sore or blister, clinicians can test a sample from the lesion. Blood tests look for antibodies, often type-specific IgG, which can show evidence of past exposure. Those blood tests do not identify the infection site, do not prove that a current symptom is caused by herpes, and can be difficult to interpret in people without symptoms or with low pretest probability.

That does not make testing irrelevant. It makes the test type and the reason for testing important. LabTestSuperstore offers a Herpes HSV-1 and HSV-2 test for people comparing self-pay lab options. Broader STI screening options, such as the Expanded STD Panel, may also be relevant for people looking at multiple infections at once.

What not to overread

A 3.1 percent increase in England does not translate into a U.S. herpes surge. England and the United States use different surveillance systems, and herpes is not tracked in the United States in the same way as chlamydia, gonorrhea, or syphilis case reports.

The cleaner read is narrower: UKHSA's 2025 data shows first episode genital herpes diagnoses rising modestly while overall STI diagnoses fell. That is worth watching because herpes is common, often misunderstood, and not always straightforward to test for. It is not a reason to paste England's numbers onto U.S. readers or turn a surveillance table into personal advice.

LabTestSuperstore does not diagnose herpes, prescribe medication, or replace clinical care. If symptoms, a recent exposure, pregnancy, or a positive result are involved, a qualified healthcare provider should interpret the situation and determine next steps. This article is editorial commentary and is not medical advice.