Gastrointestinal symptoms on the rise, but still fewer than before the COVID-19 pandemic In 2022, the number of enteric infections – which mainly cause gastrointestinal symptoms – was higher than it was in the previous two years. However, the total number of infections was still lower than before the coronavirus pandemic.
New risk limits for PFAS in surface water The National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) has derived new risk limits for PFAS in surface water. The guiding principle for these limits is that people should be able to consume fish sourced from surface water throughout their lives without ingesting excessive levels of PFAS.
Graphit rain poses health risk An assessment of potential health risks shows that graphite rain contains heavy metals and PAHs.
Slightly fewer adult smokers In 2018, 22.4 per cent of the Dutch adult population indicated they were occasional smokers.
Biosafety and Biosecurity on the Global Health Security Agenda Since 2018, the Netherlands leads the way in the field of "Biosafety and Biosecurity" within the international Global Health Security Agenda (GHSA).
Global Infectious Disease Control hampered by the CBD Nagoya Protocol So far, none of the models used by international networks of biobanks to arrange the legal responsibility under the CBD-Nagoya protocol works efficiently.
Alertness about the Zika virus still needed for pregnant women Since May 2015, there has been a Zika virus outbreak in South and Central America, including the Caribbean. The Zika virus can cause birth defects, including microcephaly (small head size).
RIVM participates in large EU project to head up global fight against infectious diseases COMPARE, a large EU project intends to speed up the detection of, and response to disease outbreaks among humans and animals worldwide, through the use of new genome technology.