![Wereldgezondheidsdag](/sites/default/files/styles/content_full/public/2018-11/Small%20Bite%20Big%20Threat.jpg?itok=A6dQVxgb)
Today is World Health Day, which focuses on diseases that are passed on by creatures such as mosquitoes and ticks. These include malaria, dengue fever and Lyme disease. In the tropics in particular, these diseases involve many cases of illness and death, which is why the general advice to travellers is to take the correct precautions against mosquitoes. The best-known disease passed on by these creatures is Lyme disease, which can be obtained from a tick bite.
In the Netherlands, RIVM is also involved in these vector-borne diseases. The most important collaboration partners include the Centre for Monitoring Vectors CMV of the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority NVWA and Wageningen University. In the Netherlands, research particularly focuses on the presence of (exotic) mosquitoes, tick bites and Lyme disease.
Within Europe, RIVM collaborates with the VBORNET, in which various countries work together to map possible threats for Europe.