With the arrival of summer comes the annual warning about the West Nile virus. The Centers for Disease Control says some human, bird and equine infections have already been reported this year.

Human cases have been reported in Arizona, Mississippi, and Tennessee. Avian, animal or mosquito WNV infections have been reported from the following states in 2008: Alabama, California, Florida, and South Carolina.

The CDC says when dealing with the threat, prevention is your best bet. Fighting mosquito bites reduces your risk of getting this disease, along with others that mosquitoes can carry.

The CDC recommends everyone to take the commonsense steps below to reduce risk:

*Avoid bites and illness
*Clean out the mosquitoes from work & play areas
*Help your community control the disease

Something to remember: The chance that any one person is going to become ill from a single mosquito bite remains low. The risk of severe illness and death is highest for people over 50 years old, although people of all ages can become ill.

For more information, visit the Centers for Disease Control website.