"Cases of the tick-borne illness, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, are on the rise in Illinois."

http://www.wsiltv.com/news/local/Southern-Illinois-Leading-in-2013-Rocky-Mountain-Spotted-Fever-Cases-218908851.html

"They can be active throughout the year," said Jackson County Health Department Director of Nurses, Karen Brown, "but especially during the warm months between April and September."