1-1 By: Janek (Senate Sponsor - West) H.C.R. No. 156 1-2 (In the Senate - Received from the House May 5, 1997; 1-3 May 6, 1997, read first time and referred to Committee on Health 1-4 and Human Services; May 18, 1997, reported favorably by the 1-5 following vote: Yeas 8, Nays 0; May 18, 1997, sent to printer.) 1-6 HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 1-7 WHEREAS, Hepatitis A is a highly contagious virus that 1-8 infects thousands of Texans each year, resulting in extreme 1-9 fatigue, jaundice, abdominal pain, liver damage, and sometimes 1-10 death; and 1-11 WHEREAS, The economic impact for persons contracting 1-12 hepatitis A is significant, with the annual direct and indirect 1-13 costs of treating cases and controlling outbreaks of hepatitis A in 1-14 the United States estimated to be $200 million; the average loss in 1-15 productivity for an adult with hepatitis A is 27 workdays and 1-16 approximately $2,600 in lost wages; and 1-17 WHEREAS, Infections from hepatitis A are transmitted through 1-18 close contact with infected persons, including infants and 1-19 children; because they do not always show symptoms of the virus, 1-20 children are a particularly problematic source of the disease, 1-21 infecting nonimmune children and adults at home, in schools, and in 1-22 day-care centers; and 1-23 WHEREAS, While there is no treatment for the disease, methods 1-24 of preventing hepatitis A through immunization programs have proven 1-25 very successful; the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices 1-26 of the Centers for Disease Control recommends hepatitis A 1-27 vaccination programs in populations with persistent high rates of 1-28 the disease; now, therefore, be it 1-29 RESOLVED, That the 75th Legislature of the State of Texas 1-30 hereby direct the Texas Department of Health to develop a 1-31 comprehensive plan to control the spread of hepatitis A; and, be it 1-32 further 1-33 RESOLVED, That the secretary of state forward an official 1-34 copy of this resolution to the commissioner of public health of the 1-35 Texas Department of Health. 1-36 * * * * *