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PRINTER'S NO. 2785
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE RESOLUTION
No.
627
Session of
2017
INTRODUCED BY R. BROWN, BAKER, BIZZARRO, BOBACK, SCHLEGEL
CULVER, DiGIROLAMO, JAMES, MILLARD, NEILSON, PASHINSKI,
PEIFER, PICKETT, QUIGLEY, READSHAW, SAYLOR, WATSON AND
ZIMMERMAN, DECEMBER 6, 2017
INTRODUCED AS NONCONTROVERSIAL RESOLUTION UNDER RULE 35,
DECEMBER 6, 2017
A RESOLUTION
Recognizing the Northeast Wildlife DNA Laboratory at East
Stroudsburg University for being a leader in tick testing and
prevention of Lyme disease and tick-borne illness.
WHEREAS, Lyme disease is a bacterial infection transmitted
primarily by ticks and is caused by the spirochete Borrelia
burgdorferi; and
WHEREAS, There are three main species of ticks in
Pennsylvania, which are the blacklegged tick, American dog tick
and lone star tick; and
WHEREAS, However, the only species that transmits the
bacteria which causes Lyme disease is the blacklegged tick, also
referred to as a deer tick; and
WHEREAS, In the last six years, Pennsylvania ranked highest
in the country in the number of confirmed cases of Lyme disease;
and
WHEREAS, Lyme disease poses a serious threat to the quality
of life of many Pennsylvanians; and
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WHEREAS, In 2016, Pennsylvania reported 12,200 confirmed
cases of Lyme disease, but the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention estimates that the number of confirmed cases of Lyme
disease only depicts a portion of the total number of cases; and
WHEREAS, Moreover, the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention estimates that the actual cases of Lyme disease can
be up to 10 times greater than the reported cases, indicating
that Pennsylvania could have up to 122,000 cases per year; and
WHEREAS, The Northeast Wildlife DNA Laboratory at East
Stroudsburg University is an extension of the Biological
Sciences Department at East Stroudsburg University; and
WHEREAS, The Northeast Wildlife DNA Laboratory was founded in
2005 by distinguished Professor of Biology Jane Huffman, Ph.D.,
and has since been established as one of the leading tick
testing laboratories in the United States and the only tick
testing laboratory in Pennsylvania that provides tick-borne
pathogen identification to the public; and
WHEREAS, The Northeast Wildlife DNA Laboratory currently
tests thousands of ticks each year and utilizes the data for
surveillance of tick species and infection rates in
Pennsylvania; and
WHEREAS, The Northeast Wildlife DNA Laboratory is one of two
major tick testing facilities in the United States that provides
comprehensive research data on tick-borne pathogens across the
country; and
WHEREAS, The Northeast Wildlife DNA Laboratory also developed
Lyme-Aid, a tick testing kit for people and pets, which is the
first commercialized faculty-student research project in the
124-year history of East Stroudsburg University; and
WHEREAS, On July 20, 2017, Lyme-Aid was rebranded and
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launched as the Cutter Lyme Disease Tick Test, which is the
first nationally recognized brand-name product developed at East
Stroudsburg University; and
WHEREAS, The Cutter Lyme Disease Tick Test provides fast,
99.9% accurate DNA test results for determining if a tick
carries the bacteria that causes Lyme disease; and
WHEREAS, The Northeast Wildlife DNA Laboratory continues to
work in collaboration with various research institutions and
universities in Pennsylvania and has served as a liaison on
various Lyme and tick-borne pathogen task forces and educational
teams in Pennsylvania; and
WHEREAS, Early detection of Lyme disease is critical for a
good recovery and it is vital to make the detection of Lyme
disease easier and faster for people; therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives recognize the
Northeast Wildlife DNA Laboratory at East Stroudsburg University
for being a leader in tick testing and prevention of Lyme
disease and tick-borne illness.
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