News | RIVM

Expected peak in tick bite season

RIVM and Wageningen University researchers expect the tick bite season to reach its peak in the next few weeks. The peak will coincide with the start of the summer holidays.

Almost half of participants lost at least 5% of their weight after completing the CLI

The percentage of participants (47%) that lost at least 5% of their weight was higher at the end of the entire CLI programme than in the first phase. This is shown by the latest RIVM report on the Combined Lifestyle Intervention (CLI).

Remove ticks quickly, reduce your risk of Lyme disease

Ticks are active again, as shown by the increase in tick bite reports on Tekenradar.nl. Quick action is important: the faster you remove a tick after it bites you, the lower your risk of contracting Lyme disease.

Predicting who will experience symptoms after Lyme disease remains challenging

Each year, approximately 27,000 people are diagnosed with Lyme disease. For most, the symptoms disappear after treatment with antibiotics. Unfortunately, 25% of those treated have chronic symptoms, such as fatigue, concentration disorders or pain.

Not yet fully vaccinated against HPV? Do not postpone any longer!

Time is running out for those who have not yet had the HPV vaccine, but do want to get it.

Number of Lyme disease diagnoses remains high

In 2021, the number of Lyme disease diagnoses with a red ring or rash– known as an erythema migrans, or EM – remained as high as in the previous survey in 2017. GPs diagnosed 25,600 patients with a red ring or rash caused by the Lyme bacteria.

Number of participants in Combined Lifestyle Intervention tops 73,000

By the end of 2022, the number of participants in the Combined Lifestyle Intervention (CLI) had grown to over 73,000. This is according to a semi-annual report by RIVM. The figure represents a 51% increase since the end of May 2022. The number of participants was around 48,000 at that time.

Last chance for young adults to get vaccinated against HPV for free

Today sees the launch of the ‘Do not miss out’ campaign, which calls on young people to get the first dose of the vaccine against the human papillomavirus (HPV) as soon as possible.

Fewer reports of tick bites in 2022

In 2022, the reported number of tick bites in the Netherlands fell by a third compared to previous years. In order to find a satisfactory explanation for such differences, researchers at WUR and RIVM have initiated a large-scale study via Tekenradar.nl. This will give them more insights into the 1.5 million tick bites in the Netherlands every year.

Drop in and get vaccinated without an appointment on HPV Awareness Day

Saturday 4 March is HPV Awareness Day. It is a day to stop and think about the human papillomavirus (HPV) and the six kinds of cancer it can cause. These cancers affect both men and women.