HR0032 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0032 LRB104 04428 ECR 14455 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, Lyme disease is a growing national public health crisis; and

WHEREAS, According to the Illinois Department of Public Health, Lyme disease cases are on the rise in the State; and

WHEREAS, Lyme disease is a bacterial infection caused by several different strains of bacteria that are carried and spread by ticks; and

WHEREAS, Those who are bitten by ticks and subsequently become infected with Lyme disease suffer from fever, fatigue, joint pain, and skin rashes and, in the most severe cases, can be afflicted by serious joint and nervous system problems; and

WHEREAS, In the United States, 35,000 to 45,000 cases of Lyme disease are reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) each year; as it is estimated that only one out of every 10 cases of Lyme disease is reported, the actual number of diagnosed cases is closer to 476,000 annually; and

WHEREAS, Since the late 20th century, there has been a dramatic increase in the Lyme disease infection rate each year, with infection rates having doubled from 3.74 cases per 100,000 to 7.95 cases per 100,000 since 1991, indicating that the disease is one of the fastest-growing infectious diseases in the United States and the western world; and

WHEREAS, Lyme disease is difficult to diagnose as diagnostic tests analyze blood samples to look for the presence of antibodies, an immune response that may not be detectable in the blood until many weeks after the initial tick bite and infection; and

WHEREAS, Up to 60% of acute cases of Lyme disease are misdiagnosed; and

WHEREAS, Those who are diagnosed with the disease early and prescribed sufficient quantities of antibiotics may recover quickly; and

WHEREAS, If the diagnosis is delayed or individuals are treated with insufficient antibiotic therapy, many experience late-stage symptoms that become chronic; and

WHEREAS, A diagnosis of chronic Lyme disease for those who are not cured by antibiotics and who continue to suffer the apparent effects of the disease is controversial; and

WHEREAS, The newest research seemingly validates the diagnosis of chronic Lyme disease and suggests that heretofore unknown bacterial persister cells remain dormant in the body, evading antibiotics and the immune system, before reinfecting the individual after the standard course of antibiotics has been taken; and

WHEREAS, Those who suffer from chronic Lyme disease experience terrible symptoms and often have difficulty finding treatment or answers, and many are unable to continue working; and

WHEREAS, Public funding for Lyme disease research receives less than 2% of the funding allocated for researching West Nile virus and less than 0.2% of the funding that HIV/AIDS research receives, despite Lyme disease having annual case counts that dwarf those of both diseases; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDRED FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we urge the federal government to allocate more funding toward finding a cure for the devastating and increasingly prevalent public health crisis that is Lyme disease; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we encourage the Illinois State Board of Education to begin health education to prevent tick bites for children who represent the highest risk group for tick-borne diseases; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we declare the month of May 2025 as Lyme Disease Awareness Month in the State of Illinois.