Reported cases of Lyme disease are on the rise in Illinois. Instances of the illness have gone up about 250 percent in the last ten years. Melaney Arnold, with the Illinois Department of Public Health, says Lyme disease's carrier -- the deer tick -- has a carrier of its own.
"Very much like the name mentions, they typically ride on deer. So as deer migrate south, we do see some of that southern migration of the ticks."
Arnold says it's best to check for ticks as soon as possible after a day outdoors. But if you're feeling inexplicably ill with a fever after spending time in the woods, look for a bulls eye-type sore. She says if you spot one, get to a physician, who can prescribe antibiotics.
