Health Officials Urge Hoosiers to Protect Themselves from Ticks

State health officials are cautioning Hoosiers to protect themselves from ticks during warmer weather, when outdoor activities increase the likelihood of exposure to ticks and the diseases they can carry. Ticks are found throughout Indiana in grassy and wooded areas and they tend to be most active during the late spring and early summer. Ticks can transmit a variety of diseases, including Lyme disease. In 2016, Indiana reported more than 200 cases of tick-borne illness. Hoosiers can reduce their risk of tick bites by wearing a long-sleeved shirt and light-colored pants, with the shirt tucked in at the waist and the pants tucked into socks, if they will be in grassy or wooded areas, and by using EPA-registered insect repellents with active ingredients such as DEET.