ST. PAUL. — Minnesota health officials say the wet weather and anticipated warm-up means outdoor enthusiasts are at high risk for ticks.

State epidemiologist Dave Neitzel said the tick season was delayed by a prolonged winter, but is now upon us. He says ticks are so small they can go unnoticed on people and pets. Neitzel said he was hiking just north of the Twin Cities recently and found some ticks.

The latest data from the Minnesota Department of Health shows nearly 15,000 cases of tick-borne diseases were reported from 1986 to 2010. The majority of the cases were Lyme disease.