|
|
|
R E S O L U T I O N
|
|
WHEREAS, World Meningitis Day is being observed on April 24, |
|
2019; and |
|
WHEREAS, Meningitis, which can be caused by a viral or |
|
bacterial infection, refers to an inflammation of the membranes, or |
|
meninges, surrounding the brain and spinal cord; though cases of |
|
viral meningitis are often mild, bacterial meningitis is a serious |
|
disease that can rapidly turn fatal; a person may die in a period of |
|
only 8 to 24 hours after first contracting the infection; and |
|
WHEREAS, Every year since 2012, 10 to 12 percent of |
|
individuals infected with bacterial meningitis have lost their |
|
battle with the disease; the rate of bacterial meningitis is higher |
|
among adolescents and young adults than it is for most other age |
|
groups, and several outbreaks have occurred on college campuses |
|
within the last decade; among those who survive meningococcal |
|
disease, 20 percent go on to live with severe health problems; and |
|
WHEREAS, Vaccinating adolescents for meningitis saves lives |
|
and prevents the health problems and disabilities caused by the |
|
bacterium, including epilepsy, paralysis, limb loss, organ damage, |
|
and brain damage; inoculating young people also offers economic |
|
advantages by decreasing the direct costs and productivity losses |
|
associated with the disease; and |
|
WHEREAS, Greater public awareness can help the State of Texas |
|
reduce the number of incidents and outbreaks of bacterial |
|
meningitis, and World Meningitis Day provides an important |
|
opportunity to increase understanding of this debilitating and |
|
potentially life-threatening illness; now, therefore, be it |
|
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 86th Texas |
|
Legislature hereby recognize April 24, 2019, as World Meningitis |
|
Day and encourage all Texans to learn more about the prevention of |
|
bacterial meningitis through immunization. |