Scientists have developed a new vaccine that protects against Lyme disease using mRNA technology

Written by Amal Allam

Tuesday, October 17, 2023 03:52 PM

Scientists in the US have developed a vaccine to protect against Lyme disease, an infection spread by the bite of an infected tick, to prevent the bacteria that cause it..

According to the British Daily Mail website, Lyme disease affects around 3,000 people in the United Kingdom each year, although the association Lyme disease activity The charity estimates the true number is closer to 15,000, as many affected people do not seek medical help for symptoms such as joint pain and fever, which can cause the disease..

The disease is caused by the bite of a tick infected with the bacteria Borrelia burgdorferi, which is usually contracted when they feed on other animals – especially rodents – that carry the bacteria..

Cases of Lyme disease in the UK have increased about 10-fold since 2000, largely because milder winters have allowed ticks to thrive, the newspaper said.

Symptoms like fatigue and…Arthritis and muscle aches, headache, fever and neck stiffness Two to 30 days later, one of the earliest symptoms is the appearance of a spot-shaped rash, which indicates that bacteria from the tick has spread to the bite area.

Antibiotics given immediately can stop the spread of the bacteria, but because the tick is so small, many people don’t realize they’ve been bitten. If the infection is not treated, it can lead to neurological problems (including numbness in the hands and feet), and fatigue, chronic, memory loss, difficulty concentrating and heart rhythm disorders, which require medication and are used as vaccines. mRNA The genetic material from the bacteria tells the body’s cells to produce a specific protein, which the immune system detects when it is defective. It is faster and cheaper to produce than traditional vaccines and does not use live viruses like many existing vaccines. ..

The Lyme vaccine uses genetic material from a protein found in bacteria called outer surface protein A Or OspA Once the immune system interacts with this genetic material, it begins to produce infection-fighting cells that can then get rid of the disease, most importantly, the protein. OspA It is present in all strains of Borrelia burgdorferi (there are at least 18), which means the vaccine is effective against all of them..

Blood samples taken from the vaccinated mice showed they were still enjoying a high level of protection even 6 months after a single dose, according to results published in the journal. Cellpress In the month of August.

Researchers now hope to reproduce the results in clinical trials involving human volunteers. Meanwhile, Moderna is working Moderna Recruit 800 volunteers for vaccine trial mRNA For Lyme disease, the first results are expected in 2026.

Rival Pfizer is developing a vaccine for Lyme disease, made from cells taken from the harmful bacteria — a more traditional method — that will be available within the next three years..

Commenting on the latest results, Professor Hani Al-Sheikha, a veterinary parasitologist at the University of Nottingham, said: “The results are encouraging, but it is still too late to translate the results into a human vaccine.” A new vaccine is a type of vaccine. mRNAMade using the same cutting-edge technology used to make Moderna and Pfizer’s anti-coronavirus drugs. Pfizer/BioEntech AndModerna.