Researchers from the Perelman School of Medicine have developed an experimental mRNA vaccine against a bacterium known to cause Lyme disease.
The vaccine provides an efficient solution to preventing Lyme disease by introducing a small piece of genetic material from the bacterium — Borrelia burgdorferi — into the body. This prompts a response allowing the immune system to recognize and fight off the bacterium if the individual is ever exposed to it through a tick bite.
Borrelia burgdorferi is transmitted to humans through infected black-legged ticks. The disease is known for its wide-ranging symptoms, including fever, fatigue, and muscle aches. While most cases can be treated with antibiotics, about 20% of those infected may develop Post Treatment Lyme Disease Syndrome.
Post Treatment Lyme Disease Syndrome patients experience persisting symptoms of Lyme disease even after antibiotic treatment. There is currently no human vaccine for the disease.
After showing promising results in preclinical animal trials, the experimental vaccine will be tested in clinical trials to assess safety and effectiveness in humans. If successful, the vaccine could become the first method of Lyme disease prevention.
As a measure of Lyme disease prevention, Penn biologists also created a map in 2021 to identify Lyme-transmitting ticks in the Northeast.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, cases of Lyme disease and other tick-borne illnesses have been on the rise in the United States, with an estimated 476,000 cases of Lyme disease every year.
Pennsylvania has consistently ranked No. 1 in the country for incidences of Lyme disease annually in 11 of the past 12 years, according to CDC data. The CDC estimated that approximately one in every 100 cases were found in the state alone.
Wellspan Health Vice President and Regional Medical Officer Alyssa Moyer told Fox43 that recent data indicates the possibility of an earlier surge in Lyme disease cases this year, likely attributable to a mild winter.
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