News Health & Medicine

A vaccine for Lyme disease could be on the horizon

If approved, the shot would be the first vaccine for Lyme disease in nearly three decades

A blacklegged tick is shown sitting on a stick with its front legs extended and looking to get picked up by a mammal

Blacklegged ticks (Ixodes scapularis, shown) can transmit a variety of diseases, including Lyme disease. A new Lyme vaccine could soon provide a layer of protection for people who might get bitten by a tick.

CDC

By Erin Garcia de Jesús

Outdoor enthusiasts hoping to avoid catching a potentially debilitating bacterium from a tick bite could soon have another layer of defense joining bug sprays and long clothing.