Poliovirus found again in the sewers of Bilthoven vaccine companies: “It must stop” | Utrecht

Poliovirus detected in the sewage system There is no risk On public health, a spokesperson for RIVM reports that the inspection is being carried out on behalf of the Health Care and Youth Inspectorate (IGJ).

It is harmless because the sewage system is a closed, filtered system that inactivates the virus. According to RIVM, this is a weakened strain of OPV and thus there was no overall health risk. Not everyone feels comfortable with this message.

Local parties Bilts Belang, Forza De Bilt and Beter De Bilt were not reassured about this and asked questions about the recurring issue. They noted that the sewage system in Beltoven overflows regularly when it rains. Are these companies still here In a residential area, they asked.

As it was exposed last month During the check. Until then, Potters informed the council, but after the fifth time he announced that he would write a letter to the vaccine companies in the RIVM industrial park in Anthony van Leeuwenhoeklan. There are four companies working with polio vaccines.

It’s usually not clear which way the virus ends up in the sewer each time. “It could come from a visitor or employee who recently received an oral polio vaccination, or from an employee who was infected without knowing the infection, or directly from a laboratory or production facility. As with the previous discovery, the origin of this discovery will be investigated,” a spokesperson says. RIVM.

The virus was found in a sample taken from the same well in the Utrecht Science Park Bilthoven sewage system where a different strain of OPV was found earlier this year.

After research, it was proved that the strain now discovered is the so-called type 1 poliovirus. This strain is used to produce the oral polio vaccine, and is therefore a part of it.

Several companies are working with the poliovirus at Utrecht Science Park Bilthoven. Sewage surveys are conducted every three weeks by the RIVM on behalf of the Health and Youth Welfare Inspectorate (IGJ). The discovery is not subject to notification requirements, although RIVM has informed the Inspectorate as a client regarding the discovery.

Minister Tamara Van Ack announced last month For a more stringent control On the four farms in Bilthoven that operate with polio vaccines. The rules will be tightened and there will be more checks. “The fact that there are frequent incidents confirms the necessity,” the minister wrote in a letter to Parliament last month. This is already happening, confirms a RIVM spokesperson. Instead of every six weeks, we now do sewer monitoring every three weeks. “

Peter Schlemilch (Forza de Bilt) was not reassured. This problem is neglected. We want more than an angry message from the mayor. We want it to end. ”Forza De Bilt announced that it will be asking questions of the council with other local political groups.