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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, Lyme disease is a bacterial disease transmitted by
3infected ticks; and
 
4    WHEREAS, Lyme disease was first recognized in the United
5States in 1975 after a mysterious outbreak of arthritis near
6Old Lyme, Connecticut; since then, reports of Lyme disease have
7increased dramatically, and the disease has become an important
8public health concern; and
 
9    WHEREAS, The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
10states that the reported Lyme disease cases are numbered at
1130,000 a year in the United States, but the actual burden of
12Lyme disease may actually be as high as 300,000 cases a year
13throughout the United States; and
 
14    WHEREAS, The signs and symptoms of Lyme disease can vary
15greatly from one person to another; symptoms can also vary with
16the length of time a person has been infected; the initial
17symptoms of Lyme disease are similar to those of more common
18diseases, such as a flu-like illness without a cough or
19mononucleosis, and many infected persons do not recall a tick
20bite; further symptoms can develop over time, including fever,
21severe headache and stiff neck, certain heart irregularities,
22temporary paralysis of facial muscles, pain with numbness or

 

 

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1weakness in the arms or legs, loss of concentration or memory
2problems, and, most commonly, Lyme arthritis; and
 
3    WHEREAS, Not all ticks carry the bacterium of Lyme disease,
4and a bite does not always result in the development of Lyme
5disease, however, since it is impossible to tell by sight which
6ticks are infected, it is important to avoid tick bites
7whenever possible and to perform regular tick checks when
8traversing in tick-invested areas of the United States, any
9wooded areas, or any areas with tall grass and weeds; and
 
10    WHEREAS, While Lyme disease has been associated with
11outdoor activities that involve being in the woods or in areas
12with tall grass and weeds, recent reports have connected Lyme
13disease transmission with the growing incidence of
14infestations of mice in homes, as mice carry ticks that carry
15Lyme disease bacterium; a single mouse may have 60 to 100 ticks
16covering its ears and face; and
 
17    WHEREAS, As Lyme disease is a complex illness with both
18acute and chronic manifestation, there continues to be a need
19to increase funding for Lyme disease treatment and prevention;
20in 2015, the first major research program devoted to the causes
21and cures of Lyme disease was established at Johns Hopkins
22School of Medicine as the Lyme Disease Clinical Research
23Center; and
 

 

 

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1    WHEREAS, Initial funding from federal grants has been able
2to start research known as the Study of Lyme Disease Immunology
3and Clinical Events (SLICE); the federal 21st Century Cures Act
4created a working group within the United States Department of
5Health and Human Services to improve outcomes of Lyme disease
6and to develop a plan for improving diagnosis, treatment, and
7prevention; however, there is still a need for more research on
8Lyme disease and efforts to promote awareness of its signs and
9symptoms; therefore, be it
 
10    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE
11HUNDREDTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we
12encourage increased awareness of Lyme disease in Illinois; and
13be it further
 
14    RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be
15delivered to the Governor, the Director of the Department of
16Public Health, all constitutional officers, and all members of
17the General Assembly in order to raise awareness of Lyme
18disease.