News | RIVM

Number of STI tests at sexual health centres are rising again

In 2021, more than 138,000 people were tested for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) at a centre for sexual health.

New test for Lyme disease is not reliable

To determine whether someone has Lyme disease, doctors in the Netherlands often use antibody tests. For some time now, so-called cellular tests have been available on the market.

Verschillende commerciële laboratoria gebruiken zogeheten cellulaire testen voor Lyme. Helaas zijn niet betrouwbaar.

Insufficient knowledge to protect the health of the Dutch population from climate change

The climate is changing. This process is already affecting the health of people in the Netherlands. As such, it is important to take immediate action to prepare the Netherlands and its population for climate change and to reduce the effects on health

More STI tests conducted by Sexual Health Centres

In 2021, more people visited a Sexual Health Centre (SHC) to get tested for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) than in 2020. This figure is still lower than in 2019, the year before the coronavirus outbreak.

Ten years of Tick Radar 80,000 tick bite reports; chances of being bitten highest in Drenthe

After recording 80,000 tick bites in 10 years via Tekenradar.nl, we now know that you are most likely to be bitten by a tick in Drenthe. Quickly removing the tick halves the chance of contracting Lyme disease.

RIVM magazine special edition on Climate Change and Health

The RIVM Magazine special edition on Climate change and Health showcases the scope of RIVM’s work on this topic.

Increase in gonorrhoea and syphilis diagnoses

The number of people who got themselves tested for a sexually transmitted infection (STI) at a Sexual Health Centre (SHC) in 2019 has remained almost the same as in 2018.

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.

More people are tested for STIs

The number of people who have been tested for a sexually transmitted infection (STI) went up in 2017. This is the case both at the Sexual Health Centres and at the General Practitioner.

New test has no added value in Lyme disease of the central nervous system

Active Lyme disease of the central nervous system cannot be detected with an ELISpot test.