HARRISBURG – State Rep. Matt Gabler (R-Clearfield/Elk) recently joined his House colleagues in unanimously passing House Resolution 245, which recognizes May as “Lyme Disease Awareness Month.”
“A significant majority of Lyme disease cases in the United States occur in the northeastern part of the country, and Elk and Clearfield counties have been especially hard hit,” Gabler said. “It is a disease, which is growing in epidemic proportions and can be fatal if left undetected or untreated.”
Lyme disease is an infectious disease caused by at least three species of bacteria. It is the most common tick-borne disease in the Northern Hemisphere.
In 2012, state health departments reported more than 22,000 confirmed cases of Lyme disease and nearly 7,600 probable cases to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The actual number is believed to be much higher than the yearly number of cases reported, due to reporting criteria varying from state to state.
For more information on Lyme disease, please visit Gabler’s website, www.RepGabler.com. Questions about this or any other legislative issue should be directed to Gabler’s DuBois office at 814-375-4688 or his St. Marys office at 814-781-6301.
