About this Research Topic
Lyme borreliosis and other tick-borne diseases are emerging infections that pose an increasing burden and threat to global public health. Tick-borne diseases caused by bacteria or parasites can be successfully treated with antimicrobials, while tick-borne diseases caused by viruses are usually treated with supportive care only. Safe and effective vaccines are available for tick-borne encephalitis, while a vaccine for Lyme borreliosis is in phase 3 clinical trials.
Lyme borreliosis, caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi, is a major burden to patients and society, mainly because of the long-term and persistent infection. Prompt and accurate diagnosis and treatment with early and appropriate antibiotic therapy are essential to prevent complications of the disease. If left untreated, the disease can progress and affect the heart, nervous system, or musculoskeletal system, sometimes leading to persistent infection or death. In some cases, a persistent infection can develop after initial treatment with antibiotics. The infection may persist even if the patient has a fully functional immune system. The cause of persistent infections is still not well understood. High-quality interdisciplinary research is needed to better understand the pathogenesis of persistent Lyme borreliosis infection, in the absence and presence of standard treatment and to improve the treatment of the disease. There is also a need to develop new diagnostic approaches, effective and safe vaccines, and new treatments, as well as to monitor the disease and generate new evidence on the value of vaccines and treatments.
This topic aims to strengthen the evidence that informs clinical practice; improve (cost)effective treatment, vaccination strategies, and patient outcomes for Lyme borreliosis and other tick-borne diseases and reduce the burden of these diseases.
Type of manuscript: All
Topics may include but are not limited to:
1. Pathogenesis of Lyme borreliosis persistent infection.
2. The evaluation of treatment options for Lyme borreliosis patients with persistent infection after standard treatment.
3. How best to treat the different manifestations of Lyme borreliosis, such as neurological complications, and how best to treat multiple infections in the same patient.
4. Clinical trials to assess the safety and efficacy of vaccines and treatments, and to measure patient-related health outcomes.
5. Monitoring of real-world effectiveness and adverse events of vaccines and antibiotics, and analysis of the gap between clinical trial results and real-world outcomes.
6. Epidemiology of Lyme borreliosis and the occurrence of different clinical manifestations, including persistent infections of the disease.
7. The burden of Lyme borreliosis and the cost-effectiveness of vaccination and treatment from different perspectives.
Lyme borreliosis, caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi, is a major burden to patients and society, mainly because of the long-term and persistent infection. Prompt and accurate diagnosis and treatment with early and appropriate antibiotic therapy are essential to prevent complications of the disease. If left untreated, the disease can progress and affect the heart, nervous system, or musculoskeletal system, sometimes leading to persistent infection or death. In some cases, a persistent infection can develop after initial treatment with antibiotics. The infection may persist even if the patient has a fully functional immune system. The cause of persistent infections is still not well understood. High-quality interdisciplinary research is needed to better understand the pathogenesis of persistent Lyme borreliosis infection, in the absence and presence of standard treatment and to improve the treatment of the disease. There is also a need to develop new diagnostic approaches, effective and safe vaccines, and new treatments, as well as to monitor the disease and generate new evidence on the value of vaccines and treatments.
This topic aims to strengthen the evidence that informs clinical practice; improve (cost)effective treatment, vaccination strategies, and patient outcomes for Lyme borreliosis and other tick-borne diseases and reduce the burden of these diseases.
Type of manuscript: All
Topics may include but are not limited to:
1. Pathogenesis of Lyme borreliosis persistent infection.
2. The evaluation of treatment options for Lyme borreliosis patients with persistent infection after standard treatment.
3. How best to treat the different manifestations of Lyme borreliosis, such as neurological complications, and how best to treat multiple infections in the same patient.
4. Clinical trials to assess the safety and efficacy of vaccines and treatments, and to measure patient-related health outcomes.
5. Monitoring of real-world effectiveness and adverse events of vaccines and antibiotics, and analysis of the gap between clinical trial results and real-world outcomes.
6. Epidemiology of Lyme borreliosis and the occurrence of different clinical manifestations, including persistent infections of the disease.
7. The burden of Lyme borreliosis and the cost-effectiveness of vaccination and treatment from different perspectives.
Keywords: Lyme borreliosis, tick-borne disease, Borrelia burgdorferi, persistent infection, pathogenesis, vaccine
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
