News | RIVM

Long-term symptoms more common after Lyme disease

More than a quarter of people with Lyme disease continue to have long-term symptoms that lead to limitations in daily life even after treatment.

Report on the developments of the National Immunisation Programme: national immunisation coverage increased slightly for the first time in five years

National immunisation coverage has increased for the first time in five years, for almost all vaccinations. For children born in 2017, vaccination coverage against mumps, measles and rubella (MMR) increased by 0.7% to 93.6%.

Spread of tick-borne encephalitis virus in the Netherlands

Every year about 1.5 million ticks bite someone in the Netherlands, especially between March and October. Most people will not get sick of that.

A pregnant woman can protect her baby against whooping cough with 22-week vaccination

From 16 December 2019, pregnant women in the Netherlands will be offered the 22-week vaccination. With this vaccination, a pregnant woman protects her child and herself against whooping cough.

Tick found in Drenthe is a Hyalomma tick

RIVM has investigated the so-called giant tick that was found in Odoorn in the province of Drenthe on 13 July. It is a Hyalomma marginatum female.

If you have found a tick bite, check for others!

One in five people who report having been bitten by a tick on Tekenrader.nl report that they have more than one tick bite. If you have found one tick bite, check for others!

Discussion regarding health-based guidance value of PFOA

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has published a provisional health-based guidance value for perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA).

Lyme disease cases have quadrupled

According to a survey by RIVM , 27,000 people were infected with Lyme disease in 2017. In 2014, the last time RIVM reported on the incidence of tick-borne disease, this number was 25,000.

Lyme disease costs EUR 20 million annually

The societal costs of Lyme disease have been determined for the Netherlands for the first time. The disease appears to cost nearly EUR 20 million each year.

Every year, 300,000 tick bites in urban areas

One in 5 tick bites occurs in an urban area. Although most tick bites occur in the countryside, many people are bitten in urban areas as well.