News | RIVM

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.

New edition of Dutch food composition database NEVO-online: compositional data on more than 2150 food items

The National Institute for Public Health and the Environment published a new edition of the Dutch food composition database (NEVO). This 2019 edition contains nutrient data for over 2150 food items. Values for 133 components (proteins, fats, fatty acids, vitamins and minerals) are available.

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.

Graphit rain poses health risk

An assessment of potential health risks shows that graphite rain contains heavy metals and PAHs.

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!

The Dutch Diet is slightly healthier

Recent years show a cautious improvement in the Dutch diet. The Dutch have started to eat more fruit and it seems to be heading in the right direction with vegetables.

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.

First patient infected by tick-borne encephalitis virus

For the first time, a person in the Netherlands has fallen ill after a bite from a tick carrying the tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBE virus).