Summer is officially a week away.

That means sunshine, vacations and unfortunately, ticks.

Ticks are arachnids and just like spiders and scorpions, their bite can pack a punch.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say ticks can spread bacteria, viruses and parasites that cause disease.

And today's medical news steps you can take to reduce your chance of exposure.

Use repellent that contains 20% date or picaridin on your skin.

Promote the run on your clothing.

Use that and wear long socks or pants.

Tuck your pants into your socks.

University of Louisville family nurse practitioner Megan Carlisle told CNET, which ticks are prevalent in Kentucky and what to do if you're bitten by them.

There are two ticks that are more prevalent in Kentucky.

That's the dog tick, which carries a germ that can cause Rocky Mountain spotted fever.

And then there's the Lone Star Tick, which can cause or like you said.

So symptoms of these can be rash, fever, muscle aches and joint pain.

But you can also have some abdominal pain, nausea, and then watching out for sensitivity to light, too.

There is Lyme disease, which I know a lot of people are really more familiar with.

That is typically caused by the deer tick.

Not saying it can't happen in Kentucky, but it's more common in the northeast.

But similar symptoms, fever, joint pain, as well as everyone has heard of that bullseye rash.

Watching out for that, too.

Symptoms can appear typically within like five days, but even with the Lyme disease, it can take up to 30 days to have that bullseye rash appear.

So if you have any concerns, make sure that you come in and get checked out.

If you do have a known tick exposure, it's important to note for how long the tick was on your skin as well as what area you were in.

When you feel like you acquired that tick.

There is actually a really cool feature on the CDC website called the Tick Bite Bite, where you can put in your exposure.

How long you think that the tick was on attached as well as your symptoms.

And it kind of helps give some guidance of what to watch out for and then when to see your provider.

Carlisle says.

There are tick removal tools available, but a pair of tweezers will usually do the trick.

Just be sure to get close enough to the skin before removing the tick.