A Vaccine against Lyme Disease?
Authors: Gary P. Wormser
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (1995)

Editorials15 October 1995A Vaccine against Lyme Disease?Gary P. Wormser, MDGary P. Wormser, MDWestchester County Medical Center Valhalla, NY 10595Author, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-123-8-199510150-00011 SectionsAboutFull TextPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail The approximately 8000 to 10 000 cases of Lyme disease reported annually in the United States makes this tickborne spirochetal infection by far the most common vector-borne disease in this country. The etiologic agent of Lyme disease, Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato, was recovered from the tick vector in 1981 and from infected humans in 1982 [1]. Successful cultivation of the organism in an enriched artificial medium (Barbour-Stoenner-Kelly medium) has permitted the rapid accumulation of information on structural features, genetic composition, and useful animal models of infection. Knowledge in these areas has greatly facilitated vaccine development.In the United States and ...References1. Benach JL, Bosler EM, Hanrahan JP, Coleman JL, Habicht GS, Bast TF, et al. Spirochetes isolated from the blood of two patients with Lyme disease. N Engl J Med. 1983; 308:740-2. Google Scholar2. Johnson RC, Kodner C, Russell M. Active immunization of hamsters against experimental infection with Borrelia burgdorferi. Infect Immun. 1986; 54:897-8. Google Scholar3. Levy SA, Lissman BA, Ficke CM. Performance of a Borrelia burgdorferi bacterin in borreliosis-endemic areas. J Am Vet Med Assoc. 1993; 202:1834-8. Google Scholar4. Edelman R. The Sixth International Conference on Lyme Borreliosis: progress on the development of Lyme disease vaccines. 19-22 June 1994, Bologna, Italy. Vaccine. 1995; 13:133-5. Google Scholar5. Fikrig E, Barthold SW, Kantor FS, Flavell RA. Protection of mice against the Lyme disease agent by immunizing with recombinant OspA. Science. 1990; 250:553-6. 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VI International Conference on Lyme Borreliosis, Bologna, Italy; June 1994. Google Scholar Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAuthors: Gary P. Wormser, MDAffiliations: Westchester County Medical Center Valhalla, NY 10595Acknowledgments: The author thanks Drs. Ira Schwartz, Harold Horowitz, Donald Marks, David Krause, and Durland Fish for their helpful comments and Eleanor Bramesco for her assistance.Grant Support: In part by cooperative agreement U50/CCU 210280 from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and by grants 41508 and 43135 from the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases. Dr. Wormser's laboratory also receives support from Connaught Laboratories, Inc., and SmithKline Beecham Biologicals, which are currently testing Lyme disease vaccine preparations for efficacy.Corresponding Author: Gary P. Wormser, MD, Division of Infectious Diseases, Westchester County Medical Center, Room 209SE, Macy Pavilion, Valhalla, NY 10595. PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Metrics Cited byA brief history of OspA vaccines including their impact on diagnostic testing for Lyme diseaseLyme Disease VaccinesLyme disease vaccinesHeterogeneity of the ospA gene structure from isolates of Borrelia garinii and Borrelia afzelii from Western Siberia and MongoliaLyme disease vaccinesRecurrent Human Granulocytic Ehrlichiosis and Lyme DiseaseHarold W. Horowitz, MD, Maria E. Aguero-Rosenfeld, MD, and Gary P. Wormser, MDVaccination against Lyme borreliosisLyme diseaseLyme diseaseLyme disease vaccine 15 October 1995Volume 123, Issue 8 Page: 627-629 Keywords Antibodies Antigens Blood Immune response Lyme disease Recombinant proteins Safety Spirochetes Ticks Vaccines ePublished: 15 August 2000 Issue Published: 15 October 1995 Copyright & PermissionsCopyright © 1995 by American College of Physicians. All Rights Reserved.PDF downloadLoading ...