TITLE: Recognizing April 18, 2017, as Texas Meningitis Awareness Day.

SUMMARY: Recognizing April 18, 2017, as Texas Meningitis Awareness Day.

FULL TEXT:
WHEREAS, The observance of Texas Meningitis Awareness Day on April 18, 2017, provides a fitting opportunity to heighten awareness of this debilitating illness; and WHEREAS, There are two types of meningitis: bacterial and viral; bacterial meningitis is a serious, potentially deadly disease that can progress very quickly; a person may die in a period of only 8 to 24 hours after contracting the infection; and WHEREAS, Bacterial meningitis is an inflammation of the membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord; each year since 2012, 10 to 12 percent of individuals infected with the disease have died; and WHEREAS, The rate of the invasive disease among adolescents and young adults is higher than those for most other age groups, and several outbreaks have occurred on college campuses since 2009; among those who survive meningococcal disease, 20 percent live with severe health problems; and WHEREAS, Adolescent vaccination reduces direct costs of the disease and decreases productivity losses; moreover, vaccination saves lives and prevents the health problems and disabilities--such as amputation, brain damage, kidney failure, and epilepsy--caused by the bacterium; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 85th Texas Legislature hereby recognize April 18, 2017, as Texas Meningitis Awareness Day and encourage all Texans to learn more about vaccination and this deadly disease. Howard Straus Goldman Oliverson Allen Gonzales of Williamson Ortega Alonzo Gonz lez of El Paso Paddie Alvarado Gooden Parker Anchia Guerra Paul Anderson of Dallas Guillen Perez Anderson of McLennan Gutierrez Phelan Ar valo Hefner Phillips Ashby Hernandez Pickett Bailes Herrero Price Bell Hinojosa Raney Bernal Holland Raymond Biedermann Howard Reynolds Blanco Huberty Rinaldi Bohac Hunter Roberts Bonnen of Brazoria Isaac Rodriguez of Bexar Bonnen of Galveston Israel Rodriguez of Travis Burkett Johnson of Dallas Romero, Jr. Burns Johnson of Harris Rose Burrows Kacal Sanford Button Keough Schaefer Cain King of Hemphill Schofield Canales King of Parker Schubert Capriglione King of Uvalde Shaheen Clardy Klick Sheffield Coleman Koop Shine Collier Krause Simmons Cook Kuempel Smithee Cortez Lambert Springer Cosper Landgraf Stephenson Craddick Lang Stickland Cyrier Larson Stucky Dale Laubenberg Swanson Darby Leach Thierry Davis of Dallas Longoria Thompson of Brazoria Davis of Harris Lozano Thompson of Harris Dean Lucio III Tinderholt Deshotel Martinez Turner Dukes Metcalf Uresti Dutton Meyer VanDeaver Elkins Miller Villalba Faircloth Minjarez Vo Fallon Moody Walle Farrar Morrison White Flynn Mu oz, Jr. Wilson Frank Murphy Workman Frullo Murr Wray Geren Neave Wu Gervin-Hawkins Nev rez Zedler Giddings Oliveira Zerwas Speaker of the House I certify that H.R. No. 1467 was adopted by the House on April 18, 2017, by a non-record vote. Chief Clerk of the House