PRINTER'S NO. 1644
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE RESOLUTION
No.
316
Session of
2017
INTRODUCED BY BAKER, FREEMAN, DiGIROLAMO, IRVIN, CALTAGIRONE,
CORBIN, BURNS, V. BROWN, WATSON, HAHN, MACKENZIE, PICKETT,
PEIFER, HENNESSEY, MALONEY, METZGAR, BOBACK, READSHAW,
CHARLTON, STAATS, SCHLOSSBERG, DEAN, WARD, MURT, BIZZARRO,
LONGIETTI, VAZQUEZ, O'BRIEN, DUSH, SONNEY, RYAN, CAUSER,
JAMES, EMRICK, McNEILL, MEHAFFIE, TALLMAN, R. BROWN,
KAUFFMAN, PASHINSKI, BARRAR, B. MILLER, SCHWEYER, MILLARD,
OBERLANDER, KINSEY, PHILLIPS-HILL AND ZIMMERMAN, MAY 5, 2017
INTRODUCED AS NONCONTROVERSIAL RESOLUTION UNDER RULE 35,
MAY 5, 2017
A RESOLUTION
Designating the month of May 2017 as "Lyme Disease Awareness
Month" in Pennsylvania.
WHEREAS, Lyme disease is a bacterial infection transmitted
primarily by ticks and is caused by the spirochete Borrelia
burgdorferi; and
WHEREAS, Lyme disease and other tick-borne diseases and
disorders such as babesiosis, Bartonella and ehrlichiosis, pose
a serious threat to the quality of life of many Pennsylvanians;
and
WHEREAS, The frequency of diagnosed and reported Lyme disease
cases has increased dramatically over the past several years;
and
WHEREAS, The most recent 15-year surveillance study of the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), published in
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2008, reveals continued emergence and geographic expansion of
Lyme disease across the United States; and
WHEREAS, The CDC study reports a disproportionate increase
among children and recommends a Public Health Action to call for
an increase in targeted prevention strategies, tick avoidance,
early disease recognition and early treatment interventions; and
WHEREAS, In August 2013, the CDC released a report stating
that preliminary estimates indicate approximately 300,000
Americans are diagnosed with Lyme disease each year, and this
amount is approximately 10 times higher than the number of cases
previously reported to the CDC every year; and
WHEREAS, In the last six years, Pennsylvania ranked highest
in the country in the number of confirmed cases of Lyme disease;
and
WHEREAS, In 2016, Pennsylvania reported 12,200 new cases of
Lyme Disease; and
WHEREAS, In 2015, a Department of Environmental Protection
published study confirmed a high risk of Lyme disease in every
county of this Commonwealth, as 67 counties had the blacklegged
tick, verifying that every Pennsylvanian, from Philadelphia to
Erie, must take precautions to prevent the spread of Lyme
disease; and
WHEREAS, The most common way to acquire Lyme and related
diseases is to be bitten by a tick that carries the spirochete;
and
WHEREAS, Lyme disease is not limited to age or ethnic
boundaries; and
WHEREAS, Lyme disease can cause early symptoms, including a
rash or flu-like symptoms such as fever, muscle aches, headaches
and fatigue, that can easily be misdiagnosed; and
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WHEREAS, If not caught early, Lyme disease can lead to
chronic debilitating illness that is very difficult to
eradicate; and
WHEREAS, The prevention of Lyme disease and other tick-borne
disorders is difficult; and
WHEREAS, Residents of this Commonwealth can greatly reduce
their chance of tick pathogen transmission if they take proper
caution while engaged in outdoor activities from early spring
through late fall, as well as during a warmer winter season, and
make frequent tick checks and remove and dispose of ticks
promptly and properly; and
WHEREAS, Residents of this Commonwealth can greatly reduce
the risk of Lyme disease on their properties through landscape,
insecticide and other measures that have been found to be
effective; and
WHEREAS, The schools of this Commonwealth can greatly reduce
the risk of Lyme and related diseases among schoolchildren
through prevention education and precautions, including
instruction to parents regarding steps to take before and after
school-related activities such as field trips and sports; and
WHEREAS, Residents of this Commonwealth should be aware of
early, disseminated and late/persistent symptoms and should know
that a negative Lyme test cannot rule out Lyme disease; and
WHEREAS, The early clinical diagnosis and appropriate
treatment of these tick-borne disorders and diseases can greatly
reduce the risks of continued, diverse and chronic symptoms that
can affect every system and organ of the human body and often
every aspect of a person's life; therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives designate the
month of May 2017 as "Lyme Disease Awareness Month" in
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Pennsylvania in a continued effort to benefit the overall health
and quality of life of the residents of this Commonwealth by
increasing their awareness of the threat of infected tick bites
and the potential seriousness of Lyme disease and other tick-
borne disorders.
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