There’s a Lyme Disease Vaccine in the Works for Humans—Here’s What To Know About It
Lyme disease is the most common vector-borne disease in the United States. Caused by the bacteria Borrelia burgdorferi, it can lead to a wide range of symptoms and affects each person differently.
One of the most common questions is: “Who is at risk for developing Lyme disease?” The answer is everyone—any individual can develop this condition. However, children have the highest probability of contracting the disease since they spend the most time outdoors.
“If you go outside, you are at risk of contracting a tick-borne illness, like Lyme disease. There are no exceptions—everyone is at risk, which is why prevention is key,” says Dr. Casey Kelley, MD, ABoIM, founder and medical director at Case Integrative Health. “Technically, children aged five to fourteen are at the greatest risk of contracting a tick-borne illness, due to their constant outdoor exposure.”
Signs and Symptoms of Lyme Disease
Lyme disease cases fall into two different buckets—acute and chronic.
A bullseye rash is thought of as the “hallmark” symptom of an acute Lyme disease infection and presents as a red ring around the site of the tick bite, but in reality, less than 50% of those infected with Lyme disease actually develop a bullseye rash, making it unreliable as a symptom of infection, Dr. Kelley states.
Acute Lyme disease
This is a case of Lyme disease right after the bite that caused the infection, prior to the bacteria disseminating throughout the body. Dr. Kelley explains that this disease can present differently in each individual, but the most common symptoms of acute Lyme disease are:
A rash
Cold and flu-like symptoms
Muscle aches and pain
Joint soreness
Swollen lymph nodes
Brain fog
Bell’s palsy
Related: What's Better for Ridding Yourself of Ticks, a Shower or Bath?
Chronic Lyme disease
Also known as disseminated Lyme disease, this is when the bite happened in the past (think months or years) and the bacteria are able to spread throughout the body into muscles, joints and organs. With cases of Chronic Lyme Disease, we often see patients present with the same symptoms as acute Lyme disease, with some additions and a higher intensity of symptoms. This can include:
Chronic fatigue
Chest pain and heart palpitations
Brain fog and lapse of memory
Word loss
Migratory joint pain
How Does the New Lyme Disease Vaccine Work?
Created by Pfizer and French drugmaker Valneva, the potential upcoming vaccine is called VLA15, and if it passes clinical trials it will become the only Lyme disease vaccine available for those in the U.S.
Essentially, the vaccine uses a previously established mechanism to target OspA proteins found in the bacteria that cause Lyme disease, known as Borrelia burgdorferi. OspA is immunogenic, meaning it is able to produce an immune response. This is critical in vaccine development, Dr. Kelley states.
Thus far, it looks like the vaccine has provoked a strong immune response, with limited adverse effects.
It’s important to note that VLA15 would not protect against all tick-borne infections, Dr. Kelley adds. Lyme disease is just one of hundreds of vector-borne diseases that require serious and immediate medical attention.
“There are six different OspA proteins designed to cover the strains of Lyme disease found in [the] U.S. and Europe,” says Dr. Michael Parry, MD, Thomas J. Bradsell Chair of Infectious Diseases at Stamford Health. “The vaccine is given via injection in the arm, similar to a flu or COVID-19 vaccine. Most importantly, the vaccine gives antibodies that immobilize the bacteria carried in ticks, making it less likely to infect humans.”
When Will the New Lyme Disease Vaccine Be Available?
Currently, VLA15 is in the third phase of a clinical study in humans.
However, even if this study is successful, it will still be a good amount of time before we see this vaccine available, Dr. Kelley explains. The companies have stated that they would seek authorization in 2025, so the use of the vaccine is still a few years off.
Strategies to Help Prevent Lyme Disease
If you enjoy time outside, even beyond activities we traditionally think of as tick havens (like camping or hiking), take preventative measures.
If you are out walking, running, golfing, gardening or hiking, avoid areas with tall grass, Dr. Kelley says. Wear long, light-colored clothing so ticks are easier to spot, tuck your pants into your socks and cover your hair with a hat. Utilize a tick-repellent that has Picaridin, and spray yourself before heading out the door.
As soon as you come inside, toss your clothes in the dryer for ten minutes to kill any ticks that may have attached themselves to you on the way home. Perform a thorough tick check, making sure to look at the hidden spots (like behind your ears), as ticks like warm, dark places. Also, taking a shower as soon as you get home can reduce your risk of infection, Dr. Kelley explains.
“The primary prevention method toward Lyme disease has been to lessen time and exposure to outdoor areas as much as possible, to use insect repellants and to perform tick checks on yourself afterward,” says Dr. Parry. “While this is good advice, Lyme disease cases have been on the rise in the last 20 years, so clearly more needs to be done. This has since created an interest in a vaccine to help combat rising cases. The vaccine will add to the preventative measures, which historically have been minimal.”
Lyme disease can be hard to diagnose—the rash that usually forms as a symptom can often be misinterpreted and misdiagnosed, leading to patients suffering complications down the road. With a vaccine, we can prevent more cases of Lyme disease and lessen the chances of people battling this life-long condition, Dr. Parry adds.
Next up: Amy Schumer Reveals She Has Lyme Disease, But She Is 'Excited to Get Rid Of It'
Sources
Dr. Casey Kelley, MD, ABoIM, Founder and Medical Director at Case Integrative Health
Dr. Michael Parry, MD, Thomas J. Bradsell Chair of Infectious Diseases at Stamford Health
