A breakthrough in the fight against Lyme disease is moving from the laboratory to the hardware store. Researchers at The University of Texas at San Antonio are developing a non-toxic biologic that could soon be available in big-box and home improvement stores.
This will offer a new line of defense against the most common tick-borne illness in the United States.
The project, led by Janakiram Seshu, a professor in the Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology in the College of Sciences, shifts the focus of Lyme disease prevention from humans to the surrounding environment — specifically, small mammals and birds. Rather than vaccinating people or pets, the UT San Antonio team is targeting the “reservoir hosts” — small mammals like squirrels, chipmunks and white-footed mice — that naturally carry the bacteria and pass it to ticks.
“Our entire philosophy is to prevent these small mammals running in the wild from having these pathogens so that they don’t have a chance of transmitting them via ticks to humans or dogs,” Seshu said.
How the technology works
The core of the technology lies in understanding how the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi — the causative agent of Lyme disease — interacts with the host’s immune system. The researchers identified specific surface lipoproteins on the bacteria that allow the pathogen to survive within these hosts, while triggering immune responses that can block pathogen transmission to ticks. The team then found a way to exploit this mechanism: They developed “pathogen-derived biologics” — essentially oral vaccines — that induce a protective immune response in the reservoir hosts.
“We identified that these lipoprotein-based vaccines are highly effective in reducing the bacterial burden both in ticks as well as in the mammals,” said Venkatesh Kumaresan, an assistant professor of research in the Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology who works closely with Seshu.
Approximately 476,000 people may be diagnosed with and treated for Lyme disease each year in the United States, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The disease can have a range of symptoms. Some, like arthritis, can persist long after treatment and significantly reduce quality of life.
From lab to shelf
The first release of the product will likely take the form of treated bait pellets designed for residential use. These pellets, which can be placed around homes and gardens, are eaten by small mammals. Once consumed, the biologic reduces the bacterial load in the animal’s system.
When tick larvae — which are born free of the Lyme pathogen — bite a treated animal, they acquire significantly fewer bacteria, or none at all. In preclinical trials, the researchers saw bacterial loads in the host drop from 100,000 to nearly 100, effectively breaking the cycle of transmission to humans and other uninfected animals.
While the initial product focuses on the Borrelia bacteria, the team is already looking toward a future product line that could make ticks virtually harmless to humans and other mammals.
“Now we know that in addition to Lyme disease, there are up to seven pathogens that ticks can transmit,” Seshu noted.
Future iterations of the pellets are being designed to target multiple co-infecting pathogens simultaneously, providing a comprehensive “shield” for backyard environments.
High-impact student research
Like many UT San Antonio labs, the Seshu Lab provides doctoral students with hands-on, high-impact research opportunities. Jolie Starling, a PhD student in molecular microbiology and immunology, is currently leading the efforts to expand the vaccine’s efficacy to cover multiple tick-borne diseases.
“I’m working on the triple infection part,” Starling explained, referring to her research on ticks that carry multiple pathogens at once. Her work will ensure that the next generation of the product can address the complex reality of tick-borne illnesses in the wild.
For Starling, the opportunity to work on a project with such immediate public health applications is a defining part of her doctoral journey, and it will be the main focus of her dissertation.
This type of experiential learning allows students not only to contribute to scientific breakthroughs but to also prepare for leadership roles in the biotechnology and public health sectors.
“Student training is a very important aspect of what we do,” Seshu said. “We want to include our students in all of the things that we do so they understand the full, end-to-end process of discovery, invention and commercialization.”
The team has filed a provisional patent application, laying the groundwork for commercialization of the product/s. They expect the first version of the non-toxic pellets to reach consumer shelves within a few years, following the completion of final safety and efficacy reviews.
