A double-blinded, placebo-controlled field trial of an OspA-based oral reservoir targeted vaccine against Borrelia burgdorferi

Amy M Schwartz; Ferney Henao-Ceballos; Kathryn Arnold; Julia Poje; Max Waugh; Greg Joyner; Jose F Azevedo; Tyler Baccam; Eric Kontowicz; Kurayi Mahachi; Paige Witucki; Suman Kundu; Nisha Nair; Felix Pabon-Rodriguez; Grant Brown; Christine Petersen; Maria Gomes-Solecki; Maryland Field Team

doi:10.1038/s41541-026-01440-w

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A double-blinded, placebo-controlled field trial of an OspA-based oral reservoir targeted vaccine against Borrelia burgdorferi

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A double-blinded, placebo-controlled field trial of an OspA-based oral reservoir targeted vaccine against Borrelia burgdorferi

Amy M Schwartz, Ferney Henao-Ceballos, Kathryn Arnold, Julia Poje, Max Waugh, Greg Joyner, Jose F Azevedo, Tyler Baccam, Eric Kontowicz, Kurayi Mahachi, …

npj vaccines

05/11/2026

DOI: 10.1038/s41541-026-01440-w

PMID: 42115648

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Abstract

Lyme disease, caused by Borrelia burgdorferi and transmitted by Ixodes scapularis ticks, remains a significant vector-borne illness in the United States. Small mammal reservoirs, particularly Peromyscus leucopus, play a critical role in B. burgdorferi maintenance. Here, we conducted a five-year, randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled field trial deploying an oral OspA-based reservoir-targeted vaccine (RTV) across seven Maryland sites. Bayesian modeling provided estimates of vaccine impact on mouse anti-OspA antibody levels, nymphal tick infection prevalence (NIP), mouse infection rates, and seroconversion to B. burgdorferi in hunting dogs. RTV sites exhibited an estimated 10.5% proportional increase in protective murine anti-OspA antibody levels and a 15.4% reduction in NIP by year five. We also found a lower infection prevalence in mouse blood-fed nymphal ticks (9.8%). RTV sites exhibited modest decreases in mouse infection prevalence, and dog seroconversion rates were similar between groups. Our results indicate that anti-OspA antibody in vaccinated-infected/uninfected P. leucopus reduced B. burgdorferi summertime larval infection prevalence, measured as NIP reductions the following spring. This suggests that OspA-based oral RTV reduces B. burgdorferi transstadial transmission within tick populations. Our findings advance the development of reservoir-targeted solutions for Lyme disease prevention. Further evaluation of impacts on incidental hosts is needed.

Details

Title: Subtitle: A double-blinded, placebo-controlled field trial of an OspA-based oral reservoir targeted vaccine against Borrelia burgdorferi
Creators: Amy M Schwartz - University of Iowa
Ferney Henao-Ceballos - University of Iowa
Kathryn Arnold - University of Iowa
Julia Poje - University of Iowa
Max Waugh - University of Iowa
Greg Joyner - University of Tennessee Health Science Center
Jose F Azevedo - University of Tennessee Health Science Center
Tyler Baccam - University of Iowa
Eric Kontowicz - University of Iowa
Kurayi Mahachi - University of Iowa
Paige Witucki - University of Iowa
Suman Kundu - University of Tennessee Health Science Center
Nisha Nair - University of Tennessee Health Science Center
Felix Pabon-Rodriguez - Indiana University School of Medicine
Grant Brown - University of Iowa
Christine Petersen - University of Iowa
Maria Gomes-Solecki - University of Tennessee Health Science Center
Maryland Field Team
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: npj vaccines
DOI: 10.1038/s41541-026-01440-w
PMID: 42115648
NLM abbreviation: NPJ Vaccines
ISSN: 2059-0105
eISSN: 2059-0105
Grant note: R01AI139267 / National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
Language: English
Electronic publication date: 05/11/2026
Academic Unit: Epidemiology; Emergency Medicine
Record Identifier: 9985163712502771

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