August is tick season, and the Christian County Health Department urges community members to take steps to protect themselves.  Data from the Illinois Department of Public Health show tens of thousands of cases of tickborne diseases each year in the state.  Ryan Bowsher, lead and vector inspector at the Christian County Health Department, recommends spraying clothes with permethrin before going into wooded areas. 

The threat of West Nile Virus from mosquitoes persists, as well.  Bowsher says residents can request that the health department spray larvicide near standing water areas, where mosquitoes often breed. 

More information on the Christian County Health Department is available at www.cchdil.org.

Ryan Bowsher appeared as a guest on the WTIM Morning Show.