Lyme disease (Borreliosis)

General Information

Lyme disease is caused by different strains of the bacterium Borrelia sp. (B. burgdorferi, B. afzelii, B. garinii) If left untreated, infection can spread to joints, the heart, and the nervous system. Most cases of Lyme disease can be treated successfully with a few weeks of antibiotics.

No vaccine against Borreliosis is currently available, so tick awareness, appropriate clothing in tick-infested areas, and early removal of attached ticks remain the most important prevention measures.

Transmission

Lyme disease is transmitted to humans by the bite of infected ticks.

Symptoms

Typical symptoms include fever, headache, fatigue, and a characteristic skin rash called erythema migrans and can eventually lead to dermatological, cardiological, musculoskeletal, and neurological manifestations. Early signs may also include more nonspecific symptoms such as headaches and neck stiffness, high temperature, tiredness, severe joint pain and facial palsy.

Epidemiology

≈476,000 cases are diagnosed and treated per year in the United States and >200,000 cases per year in western Europe.

Vaccines Pipeline

2
Vaccines in
the pipeline

TECHNOLOGY PLATFORMS

Protein subunit​ (1)
mRNA (1)

DEVELOPMENT PHASES

Phase I (1)
Phase III (1)

TRIAL POPULATION

Paediatric + Adults (1)
Adults (1)

Source:
ECDC. Borreliosis (Lyme disease). [cited 2023 August]. Available from: https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/borreliosis-lyme-disease.
Marques AR, Strle F, Wormser GP. Comparison of Lyme disease in the United States and Europe. Emerging infectious diseases. 2021; 7(8).