"Why Isn’t There A Lyme Disease Vaccine?" - Ashley Ross
Lyme disease is an infectious disease caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi. The disease is known to be difficult to diagnose, as many early symptoms are vague, like headaches and fatigue. In its earliest stages, Lyme can be combated with antibiotics—but that’s if it’s recognized early. The longer it takes to treat Lyme, the more likely it is for it to become a chronic disease. Which makes it even more odd that a vaccine for Lyme disease doesn’t exist, particularly because cases are spiking. Brian A. Kidd, PhD, assistant professor of genetics and genomic sciences at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai said that Lyme researchers are working on genotyping different strains of bacteria to move toward more personalized diagnoses and treatment. “I think it’s important for people who are suffering with or living with the fear of Lyme disease to really have some faith and know that the tide is really changing,” said Dr. Kidd. Dr. Kidd added that researchers are using data to identify what genetics can make someone more susceptible or even resilient to Lyme and what that means for future prevention and vaccinations.
- Brian A. Kidd, PhD, Assistant Professor, Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
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