PRINTER'S NO. 3669
No. 526 Session of 2002
INTRODUCED BY E. Z. TAYLOR, RUBLEY, HERSHEY, BROOKS, ARMSTRONG, GEIST, PIPPY, THOMAS, DONATUCCI, FORCIER, WOJNAROSKI, TIGUE, WASHINGTON, CORRIGAN, CRUZ, MANDERINO, J. EVANS, BELARDI, SAYLOR, DALEY, WATSON, LESCOVITZ, SCHULER, FLICK, FLEAGLE, B. SMITH, FAIRCHILD, HERMAN, McNAUGHTON, ROBINSON, KELLER, PHILLIPS, ROSS, COY, SOLOBAY, GABIG, ROHRER, COLAFELLA, READSHAW, FEESE, CREIGHTON, M. COHEN, SATHER, BARD, HUTCHINSON, CAPPELLI, S. MILLER, ALLEN, SANTONI, GRUCELA, WILT, SHANER, PERZEL, MAJOR, KENNEY, SCHRODER, MELIO, TRAVAGLIO, STABACK, ZUG, McCALL, JOSEPHS, HASAY, LAUGHLIN, HESS, FICHTER, STERN, PISTELLA, M. BAKER, LEDERER, DeWEESE, GEORGE, SURRA, BEBKO-JONES, PICKETT, McILHATTAN, BASTIAN, YOUNGBLOOD, CURRY, LEH, SEMMEL, BARRAR, BELFANTI, BROWNE, FREEMAN, MARSICO, HENNESSEY, CLARK, L. I. COHEN AND ADOLPH, APRIL 15, 2002
INTRODUCED AS NONCONTROVERSIAL RESOLUTION UNDER RULE 35, APRIL 15, 2002
A RESOLUTION 1 Declaring the month of May 2002 as "Lyme Disease Awareness 2 Month" in Pennsylvania. 3 WHEREAS, Lyme disease is a bacterial infection carried 4 primarily by ticks and is caused by the spirochete Borrelia 5 burgdorferi; and 6 WHEREAS, Lyme disease and other tick-borne diseases and 7 disorders, such as babesiosis and ehrlichiosis, pose a serious 8 threat to the quality of life of many Pennsylvanians, with the 9 frequency of diagnosed and reported Lyme disease cases 10 increasing dramatically over the past several years; and 11 WHEREAS, The most common way to acquire Lyme disease is to be
1 bitten by a tick that carries the spirochete; and 2 WHEREAS, The prevention of Lyme disease and other tick-borne 3 disorders is difficult; and 4 WHEREAS, If proper caution is taken while engaged in outdoor 5 activities from early spring through late fall, as well as 6 during a warmer winter season, frequent tick checks are made and 7 ticks are removed and disposed of promptly and properly, the 8 people of this Commonwealth can greatly reduce their chances of 9 tick pathogen transmission; and 10 WHEREAS, The early clinical diagnosis and appropriate 11 treatment of these tick-borne disorders and diseases can greatly 12 reduce the risks of continued, diverse and chronic symptoms 13 which can affect every system and organ of the human body and 14 often every aspect of their lives; therefore be it 15 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives declare the month 16 of May 2002 as "Lyme Disease Awareness Month" in Pennsylvania in 17 a continued effort to benefit the overall health and quality of 18 life of the citizens of this Commonwealth by increasing their 19 awareness of the threat of infected tick bites and the potential 20 seriousness of Lyme disease and other tick-borne disorders. C21L82VDL/20020H0526R3669 - 2 -