MOULTRIE, Ga. — Health officials say the best way to avoid summer bloodsuckers whose bites can infect us with dangerous and even life-threatening diseases is to cover up with long sleeves and pants.

Good advice, no doubt, but not exactly practical in the heat and humidity of Southwest Georgia in July and August, when people are most likely to be out in shorts and T-shirts or in bathing suits soaking up sun by the pool.

Fortunately, there are ways to minimize exposure and risk that don’t require wearing a beekeeper suit while enjoying time on such outdoor activities as hiking or working in the garden.

This year the big buzz on the mosquito front is the Zika virus, along with the associated severe birth defects in babies born mostly in countries south of the equator.

Although there are no known cases of mosquito-borne transmission of the Zika virus in Georgia, the risk is there because the state is home to two species of mosquitoes — Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus — capable of spreading Zika and other diseases.

Aedes aegypti, which also is a carrier of yellow fever, is currently found in a few areas in Georgia, while the latter is commonly known as the Asian tiger mosquito and is found throughout the state. Both are prolific biters and, unfortunately for those who are active when the sun is shining, most active during the daylight hours.

With the warm winter and heavy spring rains, there seems this year to be a perfect storm for the pests to swarm in numbers greater than normal.

Both species also are adept at being able to bounce back quickly even during a drought when rains finally fall, said Jacqueline Jenkins, epidemiologist with the Southwest Public Health District in Albany. And Georgia’s lengthy period of warm weather means that mosquitoes can be active beginning in May and stretching into October.

“When we do have more rain, they do (reproduce) more, so that is a concern,” she said.

To date the greatest threat for Zika infection in the United States comes from visiting one of the countries, such as Brazil, where it is raging. It also is possible for a person who has visited the area to spread the disease through sex and possibly through a blood donation.

A person can be infected with Zika and never know it, officials say, which adds to the risk, particularly to pregnant women or those looking to have a child.

“The dangerous thing is that the Aedes aegypti and the Andes albopictus are both associated with Zika,” Jenkins said.

Whether or not Zika becomes a threat from transmission in the region now or later or even it never makes that jump, there are still nasty infections spread by mosquitoes, including West Nile virus, Eastern Equine encephalitis virus and LaCrosse virus.

“So far we’ve been pretty lucky … with West Nile virus,” Jenkins said. “For the last three years we have not had a case of West Nile in the district.

“We do get a few (Eastern Equine) cases in horses. We work with the owners to walk around and give advice on standing-water issues.”

Diseases spread by insect vectors generally are more dangerous to the very young, the very old and those with compromised immune systems, she said.

With mosquitoes looking to make, well, more mosquitoes while the sun shines, what can be done?

Fortunately, Jenkins said, mosquitoes mostly stay within a quarter mile of where they’re hatched, so eliminating breeding areas in the immediate area of the home is a major step in making back yards bite-free zones. Because a mosquito can lay eggs in as little as a teaspoon of water, removing all standing water is key.

Exterminating companies recommend that water removal include that in bird baths, flower pots and children’s wading pools.

Weather proofing homes, while also saving on cooling costs, helps cut down on interactions with biting pests.

“The kind of mosquitoes that spread the Zika virus, they like coming into the homes,” Jenkins said.

And finally, since reality is that most people will be outside and will be exposed to biting insects, make sure to cover as much of the body as practical and use an insect repellent that contains 30 percent DEET, Jenkins said.

The overall idea is to limit bites as much as possible.

“Wear repellent, that’s one thing (people) can do,” Jenkins said. “In the end, you do what you can.”

Another source of disease also loves warm weather and human blood. Ticks drop from trees onto hosts and attach themselves while they feed. They can be present without the victim even knowing it for some time.

Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain spotted fever are rare, but have been documented in the health district.

Clothing and repellent also help discourage ticks for people in wooded areas. Checking for the crawling bugs, especially around the head and neck, and removing them after being outdoors is important.

“One of the big things is to check yourself,” Jenkins said. “If you’re hiking outside, do a full body check for you and your children. If you’ve been out and have ticks, we do recommend you let your physician know that.

“Also they can hide in your gear. They can also attach to pets.”