Memorial Day is the unofficial start of summer – and that means the peak season for Lyme disease is about to begin.

Lyme disease is a bacterial infection caused by the bite of an infected deer tick. It impacts about 300,000 people a year and can lead to serious complications if not treated.

Officials at the New York Medical College are preparing to open its Lyme Disease Diagnostic Center for the summer season. It’s a clinic run by Dr. Gary Wormser, one of the top infectious disease physicians in the nation. Dr. Wormser says there are many things one can do to protect themselves, including dressing in long pants and using tick repellent if walking through wooded areas.

“Bathing in water for two hours after being exposed, putting your clothes in a hot dryer for six minutes, looking at your body over a 24-hour period and removing any ticks so you won't get the disease,” he says.

Lyme disease isn't the only infection one can get from a tick bite. Doctors say babesiosis is another serious infection caused by ticks. He recommends anyone who is bitten to see a doctor for treatment as soon as possible.