The National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) has investigated the spread and incidence of the fox tapeworm in the north-east of the Netherlands. From 1 October 2016 to 31 March 2017, 171 red foxes in the provinces of Groningen and Drenthe were examined. The fox tapeworm was discovered in two foxes, both of which originated from the province of Groningen. This is in accordance with the results from previous studies, although the area in which the fox tapeworm is prevalent seems to have expanded slightly. The fox tapeworm (Echinococcus multilocularis) is a parasite that occurs in foxes. If humans ingest the eggs of the fox tapeworm, they can develop a disease known as alveolar echinococcosis, a severe disease of the liver. In the Netherlands, the tapeworm has so far been found in foxes in Limburg and East Groningen.