HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

149th GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 24

DESIGNATING THE MONTH OF MAY 2017 AS "LYME DISEASE AWARENESS MONTH" IN THE STATE OF DELAWARE.

WHEREAS, Lyme disease is a bacterial infection caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi ; and

WHEREAS, Lyme disease can result in severe and lasting effects in human beings including neurologic and joint disease; and

WHEREAS, Lyme disease is most commonly transmitted through the bite of a deer tick ( Ixodes scapularis ), and people can get infected after attachments of less than 24 to 36 hours and may have the disease even if they do not have a red bull’s eye rash that is often identified as a marker for Lyme disease; and

WHEREAS, some patients treated for Lyme disease and other tick borne diseases will experience lingering symptoms such as fatigue, pain, and impaired cognitive function that may persist for months or years after treatment; and

WHEREAS, Delaware has one of the highest incidence rates of Lyme disease per 100,000 people in the United States; and

WHEREAS, the climate of Delaware makes for an ideal environment for the bacterium-carrying deer tick; and

WHEREAS, Delaware, a state of high incidence of Lyme disease, has a responsibility to the staggering amount of Delawareans who have had or know an individual who has had this disease to combat and manage its pervasiveness; and

WHEREAS, in July 2014, Governor Jack Markell signed Senate Joint Resolution No. 10 establishing the Lyme Disease Prevention Task Force which completed its work in July 2015 to develop recommendations to combat Lyme disease in Delaware; and

WHEREAS, May has been recognized as National Lyme Disease Awareness Month.

NOW, THEREFORE:

BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the 149 ^th General Assembly of the State of Delaware, the Senate concurring therein, that the Legislature affirms the importance of Lyme disease awareness and prevention, and hereby designates May 2017 as “Lyme Disease Awareness Month” in the State of Delaware.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature encourages expanded efforts to keep Delaware residents properly informed about Lyme disease prevention, symptom recognition, and treatment.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a ceremonial copy of this House Concurrent Resolution shall be delivered to the National Lyme Disease Association at Lyme Disease Association, Inc., P.O. Box 1438, Jackson, New Jersey, 08527.

SYNOPSIS

This concurrent resolution designates the month of May 2017 as “Lyme Disease Awareness Month” in the State of Delaware.