Introduction and objective:
The constantly increasing number of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) represents a global public health problem. Therefore, the aim of this study was to analyze the number of STD/STI cases, including syphilis, in Poland and Europe from 2015 to 2021. The conducted analysis allowed us to draw conclusions and propose recommendations for counteracting the rise in STD/STI cases.

Material and methods:
The method used was a retrospective analysis of documents, providing information on the number of cases of STD/STI, including syphilis, in Poland and Europe in source texts of the Central Statistical Office (GUS) and the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control.

Results:
A significant percentage of individuals diagnosed with syphilis were men, particularly MSM (men who have sex with men). The areas with the highest detection rates were urban/highly urbanized areas. The dominant age group among those infected were young people (25-35 years old). The number of syphilis cases increased in countries where health/sexual education was not rated as satisfactory by respondents (e.g., in Poland, the incidence of syphilis per 100,000 people was 3.3 in 2015, 4.2 in 2019, and 4.5 in 2021). Syphilis is a problem that all of Europe faces, and its incidence is beginning to rise significantly in some countries such as Poland, Portugal, and Denmark.

Conclusions:
A key role should be focused on health education, as in countries where a strategy emphasizing health education, including education about STDs/STIs (such as in Bulgaria), has been implemented, the number of cases has gradually decreased. This form of intervention should particularly target young people, as they constituted the highest percentage of cases among different age groups.