PRINTER'S NO. 1907
No. 316 Session of 2004
INTRODUCED BY O'PAKE, STOUT, MUSTO, FERLO, KITCHEN, BOSCOLA,
KUKOVICH, MELLOW, CONTI, EARLL, SCHWARTZ, ERICKSON, COSTA,
ORIE, TARTAGLIONE, GREENLEAF, TOMLINSON, LOGAN, ARMSTRONG,
M. WHITE, BRIGHTBILL, DENT, D. WHITE, LEMMOND, WONDERLING,
PIPPY, FUMO, PILEGGI AND RAFFERTY, NOVEMBER 8, 2004
INTRODUCED AND ADOPTED, NOVEMBER 8, 2004
A RESOLUTION
1 Recognizing the week of November 8, 2004, as "Meningitis
2 Awareness and Prevention Week."
3 WHEREAS, Meningitis is usually caused by a viral or bacterial
4 infection; and
5 WHEREAS, Viral meningitis is generally less severe than
6 bacterial meningitis; and
7 WHEREAS, Bacterial meningitis caused by the meningococcus
8 Neisseria meningitidis is one of the most deadly and least
9 understood infections in the United States; and
10 WHEREAS, The two most common types of meningococcal disease
11 are meningitis, an infection of the fluid which surrounds the
12 spinal cord and the brain, the symptoms of which include high
13 fever, headache, stiff neck, confusion, lethargy, vomiting and
14 seizures and meningococcemia, an infection of the bloodstream,
15 the symptoms of which include a red-brown rash or purple
16 blotches; and
1 WHEREAS, Although meningococcal disease can be treated with a
2 number of effective antibiotics, such treatment must begin early
3 in the course of the disease because the disease can be fatal
4 within hours after the first symptoms appear; and
5 WHEREAS, Individuals who survive meningococcal meningitis can
6 suffer from debilitating effects, such as hearing and vision
7 loss, learning difficulties or mental retardation, loss of arms
8 and legs and paralysis; and
9 WHEREAS, Between 20% and 25% of all people carry the
10 bacterium which causes meningococcal disease in the back of
11 their noses and throats without developing the disease, but can
12 pass the bacterium to others; and
13 WHEREAS, The bacterium which causes meningococcal disease can
14 be passed by close contact that involves the exchange of
15 respiratory or throat secretions with someone who is infected or
16 is carrying the bacterium, including coughing, kissing and
17 sharing items such as cigarettes, lipsticks, foods, drinks,
18 toothbrushes and mouth guards; and
19 WHEREAS, Meningococcal disease cannot be spread merely by
20 being in the same room with an infected person or by breathing
21 the air where an infected person has been; and
22 WHEREAS, Meningococcal disease usually develops within one to
23 14 days after exposure; and
24 WHEREAS, Although the occurrence of meningococcal disease was
25 once highest among children between the ages of six months and
26 36 months, the occurrence of the disease among older children
27 and adolescents has been increasing in recent years, with a
28 number of outbreaks occurring at schools and universities; and
29 WHEREAS, Although a vaccine is currently available which
30 provides protection against four of the five common strains of
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1 meningococcal disease in the United States, vaccinations are
2 rarely administered until after an outbreak occurs; and
3 WHEREAS, The medical community should be encouraged to make a
4 routine practice of informing adolescent patients and their
5 parents about the option of being vaccinated against this
6 debilitating and often deadly disease; and
7 WHEREAS, Education and outreach play an important role in
8 raising public awareness about meningitis and the availability
9 of effective vaccines against meningococcal disease; therefore
10 be it
11 RESOLVED, That the Senate recognize the week of November 8,
12 2004, as "Meningitis Awareness and Prevention Week."
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