Last year, there were 194 cases of Lyme disease reported in Iowa. Lyme disease can be contracted from ticks and there have been reports of the disease in Iowa already this year.

Lynn Fisher, with Washington County Public Health, reminds people to protect themselves when going outside by using an insect repellant that contains DEET. She recommends wearing long sleeves and pants to prevent tick bites; people can also tuck their pants into their boots to help.

When returning from the outdoors Fisher says to first take a shower and then check for ticks in creases of the body, like elbows, the groin, armpits and the back of the knee. Remember to check pets for ticks, too. Fisher adds the way to remove a tick is to use tweezers and grab the tick at the head, right by the skin and pull straight out.

An early sign of Lyme disease is a rash that looks like a bullseye at the bite site. For more information