If you have animals, you know how many lyme and diseases of Lyme disease options. Vaccines or tablets, dogs are for example much more protected against the latter than humans are …. Transmitted by infected tick bites, Lyme disease is expanding around the world, reports the New York Times.
Whether by walking in shorts in high herbs or in the forest, a bite from these damn critters can be done at any time, especially in summer, where cases explode. From fever to fatigue to a rash, the disease can degenerate into chronic joint pain, even neurological disorders and heart problems.
Despite the dangerousness of Lyme disease, there are still no drugs specifically designed to protect humans from this infection. Only a repellent application and wearing long clothing helps prevent upstream bites, while antibiotics are generally prescribed to eliminate the bacteria if the latter occurs.
A failure and hopes
The problem has long been studied by scientists. In 1999, a Lyme disease vaccine, called Lymerix, was even approved in the United States. Recommended for people living in risk regions, it had demonstrated its effectiveness against the bacteria responsible for the disease. Shortly after placing it on the market, an incident finally got the better of the product: some side effects were reported, including symptoms of arthritis. In 2002, after controversies and the fall in sales, the vaccine ended up being withdrawn.
Pharmaceutical companies have not dropped the case for all that. Pfizer, Valneva and Moderna are working on two new human vaccines targeting the same OSPA protein as the Lymerix, reports the American media. Clinical trials are underway and the results are expected in a few years.
What if, in the meantime, we did like dogs? Topical drugs – applied directly on the skin – and oral for dogs, such as acaricides, have shown their effectiveness, so that a similar use in humans is envisaged. These products diffuse in the body and kill parasites before they transmit infections. The company Tars Pharmaceuticals notably tested the Lotilaner, an oral acaricide used in dogs, and has, during the first clinical trials, shown an efficiency of around 90% to kill ticks the same day and for thirty days after ingestion.
The path to the end of the tests remains long and there is a good chance of not seeing such a medication or vaccine applied in humans for several years. Acceptance by the general public also remains uncertain, so that Lyme disease could continue to wreak havoc for a long time.
