The General Assembly finds that:
(1) Lyme disease and other tick-borne diseases are carried primarily by ticks and pose a serious threat to the health and quality of life of many citizens of this Commonwealth.(2) The most common way to acquire Lyme disease is to be bitten by a tick that carries the spirochete. (3) In 2009 and 2011, this Commonwealth ranked highest in the country in the number of confirmed cases of lyme disease. From 2002 through 2011, this Commonwealth has reported a total 42,032 confirmed cases of lyme disease.(4) The World Health Organization (WHO) states that lyme disease will increasingly become a public health threat in the united states.(5) In August 2013, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released a report that preliminary estimates indicate approximately 300,000 Americans are diagnosed with lyme disease each year. This is approximately 10 times higher than the number of cases previously reported to the CDC every year.(6) Lyme disease is most prevalent in Southeastern Pennsylvania, but it is found and is increasing across this Commonwealth.(7) With proper precautions taken while engaged in outdoor activities, people can greatly reduce their chances of tick pathogen transmission by making sure that frequent tick checks are made and ticks are removed and disposed of promptly and properly.(8) The early clinical diagnosis and appropriate treatment of these tick-borne disorders and diseases can greatly reduce the risks of continued symptoms which can affect every system and organ of the human body and often every aspect of life.(9) Left untreated, Lyme disease can cause a number of signs and symptoms which can become quite severe.Added by P.L. 808 2014 No. 83, § 2, eff. 6/29/2014.