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Persistent Bacterial Remnants Identified as Key Driver of Post-Treatment Lyme Disease Syndrome

New research reveals Borrelia burgdorferi peptidoglycan lingers in human tissues, triggering chronic inflammation and opening pathways for targeted therapies.

Lyme’s post-infection features share some similarities to long COVID-19 and could be due to lingering antigens. Credit: Neuroscience News
An adult tick (R) is pictured beside a nymph (young tick) (L) in the laboratory of the INRA (Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique) which constitutes a "tiquothèque" to study its geographical distribution, the presence of disease, the development of the Lyme disease on September 28, 2018 in Champenoux, eastern France. - The laboratory appeals to the private individuals to collect the ticks having pricked them. (Photo by JEAN-CHRISTOPHE VERHAEGEN / AFP) (Photo by JEAN-CHRISTOPHE VERHAEGEN/AFP via Getty Images)

Overview

  • A study published in *Science Translational Medicine* confirms that remnants of Borrelia burgdorferi peptidoglycan persist in human tissues for weeks to months after antibiotic treatment.
  • This bacterial cell wall fragment provokes an inappropriate immune response, contributing to symptoms of Post-Treatment Lyme Disease Syndrome (PTLD).
  • The persistence of Borrelia peptidoglycan is linked to its unique molecular structure, modified by sugars absorbed from its tick vector, which resists normal clearance by the body.
  • Approximately 14% of Lyme disease patients treated early with antibiotics still develop PTLD, highlighting the need for alternative diagnostic and therapeutic approaches.
  • Efforts are underway to develop monoclonal antibody therapies to neutralize the inflammatory peptidoglycan and improve outcomes for PTLD patients.