They're spreading.

Lyme disease-infected deer ticks have been originate in forest preserves in Park Ridge, officials announced Friday.

The ticks were institute May 25, the Cook shire Department of Public Health said. ordeals on the ticks came back positive this week for the bacteria that causes Lyme disease, officials said.

Previously, Lyme-infected ticks had been establish in southwestern Cook County as well as forest-landed spots in DuPage County.

"This newly come finding just reinforces the ne to take extra precaution when heading gone out to areas that may harbor ticks," said health department director Stephen Martin.

State officials learned newly of a Chicago resident who showed symptoms of Lyme disease after walking a dog in the forest defend along the southeastern border of Park Ridge.

Jeff Nelson a biology professor at North Park University who is contracted through Cook to search for the ticks, visited the site last week and consider probableed 29 deer ticks.

He cultur parts of the ticks and institute some positive for Borrelia burgdorferi, the bacterium that causes Lyme

Nelson continues to find deer ticks in other areas of northeastern Illinois and southern Wisconsin.

Nelson's 12-year-old son Joshua, spott deer ticks onward a trip to Lake Geneva, Wis., in April. Nelson replyed to the area and gathered more ticks, which also trialed positive for Lyme disease.

Despite the large personality of deer in Wisconsin, infected deer ticks had not been documented at the blot in the past, Nelson said.

Nelson said race especially parents with children, should take seemly precautions:

Wear lengthy pants that are light colored with equal reason you can easily spot the ticks -- which are the size of a poppy se as a maid and a sesame seed as an adult.

Stay toward the middle of marked trails, away from low-lying brush where ticks hang gone out looking for a host.

Do thorough dead body checks after visits to forested areas.

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