1Designating the month of May 2013 as "Lyme Disease Awareness
2Month" in Pennsylvania.

3WHEREAS, Lyme disease is a bacterial infection transmitted
4primarily by ticks and is caused by the spirochete Borrelia
5burgdorferi; and

6WHEREAS, Lyme disease and other tick-borne diseases and
7disorders, such as babesiosis, Bartonella and ehrlichiosis, pose
8a serious threat to the quality of life of many Pennsylvanians,
9with the frequency of diagnosed and reported Lyme disease cases
10increasing dramatically over the past several years; and

11WHEREAS, The most recent 15-year surveillance study of the
12Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which study
13was published in 2008, reveals continued emergence and

1geographic expansion of Lyme disease across the United States;
2and

3WHEREAS, The CDC study reports a disproportionate increase
4among children and recommends a Public Health Action to call for
5an increase in targeted prevention strategies, tick avoidance,
6early disease recognition and early treatment interventions; and

7WHEREAS, From 2006 to 2011, total reported cases of Lyme
8disease in Pennsylvania have more than doubled; and

9WHEREAS, Experts forecast a significant surge in Lyme disease
10for 2012, warning that Northeastern states should be prepared
11and should notify the public of increased risk and the need for
12prevention; and

13WHEREAS, From 2009 to 2011, Pennsylvania has ranked highest
14in the nation of confirmed cases of Lyme Disease, with a total
15of 12,987 confirmed cases in the three-year period; and

16WHEREAS, The most common way to acquire Lyme disease is to be
17bitten by a tick that carries the spirochete; and

18WHEREAS, This disease is not limited to age or ethnic
19boundaries; and

20WHEREAS, Lyme disease can cause early symptoms, including a
21rash or flu-like symptoms such as fever, muscle aches, headaches
22and fatigue, that can easily be misdiagnosed; and

23WHEREAS, If not caught early, Lyme disease can lead to
24chronic debilitating illness that is very difficult to
25eradicate; and

26WHEREAS, The prevention of Lyme disease and other tick-borne
27disorders is difficult; and

28WHEREAS, The people of this Commonwealth can greatly reduce
29their chance of tick pathogen transmission if they take proper
30caution while engaged in outdoor activities from early spring

1through late fall, as well as during a warmer winter season, and
2make frequent tick checks and remove and dispose of ticks
3promptly and properly; and

4WHEREAS, The people of this Commonwealth can greatly reduce
5the risk of Lyme disease on their properties through landscape,
6insecticide and other measures found to be effective; and

7WHEREAS, The early clinical diagnosis and appropriate
8treatment of these tick-borne disorders and diseases can greatly
9reduce the risks of continued, diverse and chronic symptoms that
10can affect every system and organ of the human body and often
11every aspect of persons' lives; therefore be it

12RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives designate the
13month of May 2013 Lyme Disease Awareness Month" in Pennsylvania
14in a continued effort to benefit the overall health and quality
15of life of the citizens of this Commonwealth by increasing their
16awareness of the threat of infected tick bites and the potential
17seriousness of Lyme disease and other tick-borne disorders.