Tick populations are growing in size, and the ticks are also becoming more widely distributed. For tick populations to grow, they need large mammal hosts, and deer are the best hosts of all. The announcement that there could be a vaccine for Lyme disease may become available by 2025. Education is the root out of this problem, says Dr Michael O'Leary.
According to a recent study, more than 14% of the world’s population probably has, or has had, tick-borne Lyme disease – an infection that can cause long and debilitating symptoms. That number is set to rise too, as climate and environment changes continue to increase tick populations and distribution. To help prevent some of these cases, pharmaceutical company Pfizer and biotech company Valneva will soon be testing a new vaccine against Lyme disease with 6,000 volunteers across Europe and in the US. Madeleine Finlay speaks to Dr Eoin Healy about what Lyme disease is and how the vaccine works, and hears from a special guest about their own experience of getting ill with the disease.. Help support our independent journalism at
theguardian.com/sciencepod