Plotkin · Clinical infectious diseases : an official publication of the Infectious Diseases Society of America 2025 · narrative review · n=?

The Current and Future State of Vaccines for Lyme Disease.

Cited 4 times in the scientific literature.

Level 5 - mechanism / opinion, no new human data

Narrative review of Lyme disease vaccine history and development pipeline.

PubMed 39711074 · doi:10.1093/cid/ciae639 · record verified 2026-08-30

What was done

Narrative review describing the historical context, rising incidence, and development pipeline of vaccines targeting Borrelia species transmitted by Ixodes ticks in the United States and Europe.

What was found

The abstract reports no numerical data. It notes that a single-species outer surface protein A (OspA) vaccine marketed in the 1990s was withdrawn due to unproven safety concerns and low sales. New multivalent OspA vaccines targeting multiple American and European Borrelia species are currently in advanced clinical development, with one candidate in phase 3 trials.

Why it matters

As the incidence and geographic spread of Lyme disease increase, multivalent OspA vaccines entering phase 3 trials could provide preventive options across both North America and Europe.

Limits

This is a narrative review presenting no primary data or systematic search methodology. The abstract provides no quantitative figures on vaccine efficacy, adverse event rates, or the schedule and necessity of periodic boosters.

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