Borrelia burgdorferi bacterin

Abstract

A bacterin including effective immunizing amounts of two non-crossprotective isolates of inactivated Borrelia burgdorferi, an adjuvant in an amount effective to enhance the immunogenicity of the inactivated Borrelia burgdorferi isolates and a suitable carrier is provided herein. The bacterin may also contain a third non-crossprotective isolate. A bacterin including effective immunizing amounts of an antigenic subunit derived from a first Borrelia burgdorferi isolate and a second, non-crossprotective Borrelia burgdorferi isolate, an adjuvant in an amount effective to enhance the immunogenicity of the antigenic subunits and a suitable carrier is also provided. The bacterin may also contain an effective immunizing amount of an antigenic subunit of a third Borrelia burgdorferi. Further provided is a bacterin which includes effective immunizing amounts of two noncrossprotective isolates of inactivated Borrelia burgdorferi and one or more antigenic subunits from the non-crossprotective isolates, an adjuvant in an amount effective to enhance the immunogenicity of the inactivated Borrelia burgdorferi and antigenic subunits and a suitable carrier.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Lyme disease was first described by Steere et al. in 1977 who reported an epidemic of arthritis in Lyme, Old Lyme and East Haddam, Conn. In 1982, Dr. Willy Burgdorfer discovered a new spirochete in the midgut of Ixodes dammini ticks (see Burgdorfer, W. A. et al., (1982) Science 216: 1317-1319). This spirochete was subsequently shown to elicit an immune response in infected rabbits which paralleled that in humans with Lyme disease, and is now known to be the etiological agent of the disease. The spirochete was subsequently named Borrelia burgdorferi. While Ixodes ticks are the most commonly encountered vectors of Borrelia burgdorferi, the spirochetes have also been found in deerflies, horseflies and mosquitoes. Spirochetes enter an animal host when the animal is bitten by the vector. The B. burgdorferi spirochetes reside in various tissues of the host animal, where they may lead to long term infection. Borrelia burgdorferi have recently been shown to pos...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

This invention also provides a bacterin which comprises per dose an effective immunizing amount of two noncross-protective isolates of inactivated Borrelia burgdorferi and one or more antigenic subunits from the non-crossprotective isolates, an adjuvant in an amount effective to enhance the immunogenicity of the inactivated Borrelia burgdorferi and antigenic subunits and a suitable carrier.

The invention also provides for the use of a bacterin which comprises an effective immunizing amount of at least two non-crossprotective isolates of inactivated Borrelia burgdorferi and one or more antigenic subunits from the non-crossprotective isolates, an adjuvant in an amount effective to enhance the immunogenicity of the inactivated Borrelia burgdorferi and antigenic subunits and a suitable carrier for the immunization of animals against infection by Borrelia burgdorferi.

Problems solved by technology

The B. burgdorferi spirochetes reside in various tissues of the host animal, where they may lead to long term infection.

Adding to these diagnostic complications is the difficulty of detecting the spirochetes in affected tissues.

However, the establishment of protocols for effective chemical treatment of Lyme disease has been hampered by the lack of data with which an appropriate time period for treatment could be established.

Additionally, there has been a lack of studies of the effectiveness of drugs in human patients.

Images