Vaccine against lyme disease and a challenge model for evaluating vaccine efficacy

摘要

The invention provides a vaccine for protecting a susceptible mammal from Lyme disease comprising an amount of B. burgdorferi major antigens effective to induce a serum neutralising titer of antibodies against B. burgdorferi. A process for preparing the vaccine comprising culturing B. burgdorferi bacteria, monitoring the level of one of Osp A or Osp B, inactiving the bacteria when a maximum in the production as one of Osp A or Osp B is obtained, and mixing the inactivated bacteria in a physiologically acceptable carrier is also covered. The invention also includes a process for inducing Lyme disease in a susceptible laboratory mammal comprising injecting virulent B. burgdorferi spirochetes into said mammal in a manner that mimics the transmission of the disease by a tick.