Patient with cutaneous diphtheria in reception centre This week, a refugee from Syria was found to be infected with the diphtheria bacterium. The patient has been treated with antibiotics. The patient’s contacts have been tested and vaccinated.
Higher alert level for Ebola There is an Ebola outbreak in several regions of Uganda that are also frequented by tourists. RIVM therefore asks medical professionals to be alert to symptoms that could indicate Ebola among people who have travelled to Uganda, and to request diagnostics to rule out or confirm Ebola.
Increase in number of additives in tobacco products A total of 673 different types of additives are used by manufacturers in their tobacco products (cigarettes, cigars and pipe tobacco) and the number of additives used per tobacco product type incre
Metals in tobacco harmful to health Growing tobacco plants acquire metals from soil, fertilisers, and industrial pollution. Smoking liberates some of these metals from tobacco into smoke to be inhaled by the smoker and bystanders.
RIVM writes Novel Tobacco Products paper for WHO The World Health Organization (WHO) Tobacco Free Initiative (TFI) has just published a Report of the WHO Study Group on Tobacco Product Regulation (TobReg).
Potassium intake and risk for hyperkalaemia reviewed It is nearly impossible to get an overdose of potassium from natural food sources.
Adequate limit value for pyrrolizidine alkaloids in herbal tea and herbal preparations Pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs) are natural toxins occurring in a wide variety of plants, including herbs.
Ebola information for GPs RIVM has sent a message to Community Health Services (GGD's) containing information about how issues concerning Ebola are arranged in the Netherlands.
Ongoing Ebola outbreak West Africa August 8th the World Health Organization declared the Ebola outbreak in West Africa an international health emergency and appealed for global aid to help afflicted countries.