1-1                                     1                                  
 1-2                          SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 887
 1-3           WHEREAS, Tick-borne illnesses, such as ehrlichiosis,
 1-4     Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, and tick-borne
 1-5     relapsing fever, are easily contracted and can be extremely
 1-6     debilitating and fatal; and
 1-7           WHEREAS, Anyone who ventures outdoors is susceptible to
 1-8     encountering a tick and may contract one of these diseases; if
 1-9     these illnesses are not diagnosed and treated properly soon after
1-10     they occur, the ramifications become potentially life-threatening
1-11     as time elapses; and
1-12           WHEREAS, Lyme disease, the most prevalent of the four
1-13     illnesses, is the fastest-growing infectious disease in the
1-14     country and the most common vector-borne disease in Texas, with
1-15     cases having been reported in every public health region in the
1-16     state; the Lone Star tick is the principal transmitter of Lyme
1-17     disease in Texas, though other known carriers are the black-legged
1-18     deer tick, brown dog tick, and cat flea; and
1-19           WHEREAS, The Senate Committee on Administration in its
1-20     Interim Report on The Prevalence of Tick-Borne Illnesses in
1-21     Texas to the 77th Legislature recommended tick-borne illness
1-22     prevention and education and Lyme disease research and test
1-23     development; and
 2-1           WHEREAS, Due to a limited public understanding of the
 2-2     serious nature of these easily contracted diseases, and the
 2-3     fact that some health care providers are still unaware that
 2-4     these diseases actually exist in the State of Texas, there is
 2-5     considerable underreporting of tick-borne illnesses in Texas;
 2-6     recognizing May as Tick-Borne Illness Awareness Month will
 2-7     undoubtedly assist in the further education of all Texans on
 2-8     this important public health issue; now, therefore, be it
 2-9           RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas,
2-10     77th Legislature, hereby recognize May as Tick-Borne Illness
2-11     Awareness Month in the State of Texas and encourage all to learn
2-12     more about these diseases.
2-13                                                                  Bivins
2-14                                                                  Harris
2-15                                  ______________________________________
2-16                                          President of the Senate
2-17                                       I hereby certify that the above
2-18                                  Resolution was adopted by the Senate
2-19                                  on May 3, 2001.
2-20                                  ______________________________________
2-21                                          Secretary of the Senate
2-22                                  ______________________________________
2-23                                           Member, Texas Senate
2-24                                  ______________________________________
2-25                                           Member, Texas Senate