What is Lyme disease? Black-legged ticks, also called deer ticks, carry Lyme-causing bacteria. The infection initially causes fatigue, fever and joint pain.
Researchers are seeking thousands of volunteers in the U.S. and Europe to test the first potential vaccine against Lyme disease in 20 years -- in hopes of better fighting the tick-borne threat.
"There wasn't such a recognition, I think, of the severity of Lyme disease" and how many people it affects the last time around, Pfizer vaccine chief Annaliesa Anderson told The Associated Press. Exactly how often Lyme disease strikes isn't clear. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention cites insurance records suggesting 476,000 people are treated for Lyme in the U.S. each year. Pfizer's Anderson put Europe's yearly infections at about 130,000.
How? It targets an "outer surface protein" of the Lyme bacterium called OspA that's present in the tick's gut. It's estimated a tick must feed on someone for about 36 hours before the bacteria spreads to its victim. That delay gives time for antibodies the tick ingests from a vaccinated person's blood to attack the germs right at the source.
"We're really looking at something that's a seasonal vaccine," Anderson said, so people have high antibody levels during the months when ticks are most active.Volunteers can be as young as 5 and should be at high risk because they spend a lot of time in tick-infested areas, such as hikers, campers and hunters, said Dr. Alan Kivitz who heads one of the study sites at Altoona Center for Clinical Research in Duncansville, Pennsylvania.
While the new Pfizer-Valneva vaccine also targets the OspA protein, it's engineered somewhat differently than its predecessor and also targets six Lyme strains in the U.S. and Europe instead of just one.
Canada Latest News, Canada Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Major test of 1st possible Lyme disease vaccine in 20 years beginsWhat is Lyme disease? Black-legged ticks, also called deer ticks, carry Lyme-causing bacteria. The infection initially causes fatigue, fever and joint pain.
Read more »
Clinical trial aims to develop 1st Lyme disease vaccine in 20 yearsThe Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said the only other Lyme disease vaccine in the U.S. was discontinued in 2002 because of low consumer demand.
Read more »
Major test of first possible Lyme vaccine in 20 years beginsResearchers are seeking thousands of volunteers in the U.S. and Europe to test the first potential vaccine against Lyme disease in 20 years
Read more »
Major test of first possible Lyme vaccine in 20 years beginsResearchers are seeking thousands of volunteers in the U.S. and Europe to test the first potential vaccine against Lyme disease in 20 years -- in hopes of better fighting the tick-borne threat.
Read more »
BabyDoge Spikes up 20% Amid Potential Major Crypto Exchange Listing.BabyDogeCoin performs against whole crypto market, teasing public with intriguing announcement babydoge babydogeswap $babydoge
Read more »
1st sea turtle nest found on Mississippi beach since 2018The eggs likely belong to a protected loggerhead sea turtle or an even rarer Kemp’s ridley sea turtle, which is the most critically endangered species of sea turtle, said Moby Solangi, president of the marine studies group.
Read more »