Sexually active older people are being encouraged to regularly take STI tests amid a rise in infections for that age group.
Data from the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) indicates rates of chlamydia, gonorrhoea, and syphilis among US adults aged 55 and older have more than doubled over the past 10 years.
In England, 31,902 new STIs were recorded in the over 45s in 2015, which rose to 37,692 in 2019 - an increase of 18%, with the majority of new diagnoses in men who have sex with men.
Pharmacist Laura Dowling told Moncrieff the rise could be down to people coming out of long-term relationships.
"Maybe they are seperated or they are divorced and they're going online and they are finding partners," she said.
"They are having sex but are not using protection, because I suppose maybe they haven't used protection for years and years because they were in a monogamous relationship.
"They think that because they can't get pregnant - a lot of people would equate condoms with preventing pregnancy or as a contraception - so they are then surprised when they have an STI."
'Discreet testing'
Ms Dowling said older people may also not be sexually aware.
"If they do meet a partner they can get STIs and then if they're having sex with different people they are transmitting it to other people," she said.
"They should be doing regular testing; SH24 have a really discreet testing kit that they can order online and get it delivered to their house.
"They take a little blood sample, they send it off and they will get informed by text whether or not they an STI and then what to do with that information".
'The little blue pill'
Ms Dowling said drugs like Viagra have also contributed to the rise.
"It is very popular and it's allowing people to enjoy healthier sex lives as they get older," she said.
"People can have erectile dysfunction for very many reasons; they may be on medication, they may have illness.
"But then also as people get older they may find it harder to get or maintain an erection.
"The little blue pill definitely has something to do it with it as well," she added.
Ms Dowling said it is important that STIs are destigmatised so people can talk about them.
A new research review is to be presented on older adults being diagnosed with STIs in Barcelona next month at the European Congress of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases.
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