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The Lowdown on Lyme Disease: Microbial Minutes

July 17, 2024

Are some people more susceptible to Lyme disease than others? Why are cases of Lyme disease increasing? Is there a vaccine to prevent infection?

What's Hot in the Microbial Sciences?

It’s tick season—the time of year when these problematic pests proliferate and spread a variety of diseases. Among them, Lyme disease is a particular concern. It is estimated that 476,000 people in the U.S. develop Lyme disease every year. But are some people more at risk for infection than others? Why are cases of Lyme disease increasing? Is there a vaccine to prevent infection? Recent scientific advancements provide insights into all these questions and more. Key take-aways and resources used in this Microbial Minutes are listed below.

Key Take-Aways

• Lyme disease is caused by the spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi, which is spread by blacklegged ticks during feeding. Scientists recently found that a protein found in human sweat prevents B. burgdorferi infection in mice. More work is needed, though the findings could inform development of therapeutics.
• Lyme disease is currently treated with antibiotics—early treatment is key to preventing severe disease. Notably, without treatment, B. burgdorferi-mediated immune suppression can impact development of immunity against other antigens (e.g., SARS-CoV-2 spike protein).
• The number of reported cases of Lyme disease in the U.S. increased by 69% in 2022 compared to annual average in 2017-2018. This is due to changes in surveillance practices rather than increased risk, though still does not capture the number of cases that occur and go unreported.
• A phase 3 clinical trial including over 9,000 participants is underway for a Lyme disease vaccine by Pfizer and the vaccine development company Velnava. Trial results are expected in 2025, and, barring positive data, regulatory filings will be submitted in 2026.

Sources

• Federizon J., et al. Antigen Engineering Approaches for Lyme Disease Vaccines. .
• Garcia de Jesus, E. A protein found in sweat may protect people from Lyme disease. .
• Hagen, A., The Bulls-Eye Rash of Lyme Disease: Investigating the Cutaneous Host-Pathogen Dynamics of Erythema Migrans. American Society for ÃÞ»¨ÌÇÖ±²¥, April 30, 2018.
• Hagen, A., Lyme Disease Prevention and Treatment with Linden Hu. Podcast. American Society for ÃÞ»¨ÌÇÖ±²¥, Sept. 02, 2022.
• Kugeler K.J., et al. Surveillance for Lyme Disease After Implementation of a Revised Case Definition—United States, 2022. .
• Rebman A.W. and Aucott, J.N. Post-treatment Lyme Disease as a Model for Persistent Symptoms in Lyme Disease. .
• Steere, A.C., Posttreatment Lyme disease syndromes: distinct pathogenesis caused by maladaptive host responses. .
• Strausz, S., et al. SCGB1D2 inhibits growth of Borrelia burgdorferi and affects susceptibility to Lyme disease. .
• U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Lyme Disease. .
• U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Understanding Lyme and Other Tickborne Diseases. .
• Valneva. Pfizer and Valneva Complete Recruitment for Phase 3 VALOR Trial for Lyme Disease Vaccine Candidate, VLA15. .
• Williams, M.T., et al. Suppression of host humoral immunity by Borrelia burgdorferi varies over the course of infection. .

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