Two cases of La Crosse encephalitis have been confirmed in Polk County this summer, according to county health officials.

The mosquito-borne disease affects the brain and spinal cord and has posed lasting health consequences for residents in more than 30 eastern and central states.

Though most cases involve children, the disease has appeared in an increasing number of adults. Symptoms include high fever, severe headache, lethargy, nausea, muscle aches, vomiting and convulsions. In extreme cases, the disease can be fatal.

Polk County health officials recommend eliminating artificial mosquito breeding habitat, such as old tires and containers that are filled with water, as a method for reducing the appearance of the disease.

The disease was first discovered in La Crosse, Wis., in 1963.

More information on the disease is available through the Polk County Health Department at (715) 485-8500.

—From press release