Bill Text: IL SR1301 | 2017-2018 | 100th General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Declares May 24, 2018 as "Lyme Disease Awareness Day" in the State of Illinois.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)

Status: (Passed) 2018-05-01 - Added as Co-Sponsor Sen. Thomas Cullerton [SR1301 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2017-SR1301-Introduced.html

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SR1301 LRB100 17556 MST 32726 r
SENATE RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, Lyme disease is a bacterial disease transmitted by
infected ticks; and
WHEREAS, Lyme disease was first recognized in the United
States in 1975 after a mysterious outbreak of arthritis near
Old Lyme, Connecticut; since then, reports of Lyme disease have
increased dramatically, and the disease has become an important
public health concern; and
WHEREAS, The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
states that the reported Lyme disease cases are numbered at
30,000 a year in the United States, but the actual burden of
Lyme disease may actually be as high as 300,000 cases a year
throughout the United States; and
WHEREAS, The signs and symptoms of Lyme disease can vary
greatly from one person to another; symptoms can also vary with
the length of time a person has been infected; the initial
symptoms of Lyme disease are similar to those of more common
diseases, such as a flu-like illness without a cough or
mononucleosis, and many infected persons do not recall a tick
bite; further symptoms can develop over time, including fever,
severe headache and stiff neck, certain heart irregularities,
temporary paralysis of facial muscles, pain with numbness or

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

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WHEREAS, Initial funding from federal grants has been able
to start research known as the Study of Lyme Disease Immunology
and Clinical Events (SLICE); the federal 21st Century Cures Act
created a working group within the United States Department of
Health and Human Services to improve outcomes of Lyme disease
and to develop a plan for improving diagnosis, treatment, and
prevention; however, there is still a need for more research on
Lyme disease and efforts to promote awareness of its signs and
symptoms; therefore, be it
RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDREDTH GENERAL
ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we declare May 24, 2018
as "Lyme Disease Awareness Day" in the State of Illinois to
promote awareness of the impact that Lyme disease has on our
society.