PRINTER'S NO. 2931

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

HOUSE RESOLUTION

No.

724

Session of

2015

INTRODUCED BY SCHEMEL, HENNESSEY, SONNEY, DUSH, BAKER,

DONATUCCI, DiGIROLAMO, COHEN, WATSON, MILLARD, THOMAS,

BARBIN, KINSEY, VEREB, McGINNIS, WHEELAND, READSHAW,

Recognizing March 24, 2016, as "World TB Day" in Pennsylvania.

WHEREAS, Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease caused by

bacteria called Mycobacterium tuberculosis and is the leading

cause of illness and death worldwide; and

WHEREAS, While the bacteria can infect any part of the body,

most of the time it settles in the lungs and is transmitted from

person to person by droplets from the throat and lungs of people

infected with the disease; and

WHEREAS, The World Health Organization has estimated that 2

billion people, one third of the world's population, are

and control activities, the number of TB cases reported in the

United States has declined every year since 1993; and

WHEREAS, Despite this progress, racial and ethnic minorities

and foreign-born individuals continue to be disproportionately

affected by TB; and

WHEREAS, In 2013, 81% of all TB cases in the United States

occurred in individuals who were Asian, African American or

Latino; and

WHEREAS, Foreign-born individuals, who have accounted for the

majority of TB cases in the United States since 2001,

information and assistance to residents with questions or

concerns about TB; and

WHEREAS, "World TB Day" is observed annually on March 24 and

was established in honor of Dr. Robert Koch; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Koch discovered the bacterium that causes TB,

which was the first step toward diagnosing and curing TB;

therefore be it

RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives recognize March

24, 2016, as "World TB Day" in Pennsylvania to raise public

awareness about TB and the efforts made to prevent and treat