Slightly fewer adult smokers In 2018, 22.4 per cent of the Dutch adult population indicated they were occasional smokers.
Young people who use screens before sleeping have more sleep problems Young people (13-18 years) who use light-emitting screens daily in the hour before going to sleep have more sleep problems.
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.
New standard for exposure assessment of cleaning products RIVM has updated the standard for exposure assessment of cleaning products in the ConsExpo Cleaning Products Fact Sheet.
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).
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.
RIVM launches new web-based version of ConsExpo An improved version of the computer program ConsExpo is now available via the RIVM website.
Lab tests alone not conclusive for diagnosis of Lyme disease Lyme disease can cause a variety of complaints in patients. Laboratory tests for the disease can support medical practitioners in making a diagnosis but are not necessarily conclusive.
Major loss of healthy life years due to long-term complaints after Lyme disease The Netherlands is the first country where the burden of disease due to Lyme disease has been determined.
Improving consumer exposure assessment to chemical substances By combining the available international knowledge, the method to assess the extent to which consumers are exposed to chemical substances via everyday products such as paint, cleaning agents and co