History of Lyme disease in Timeline

Lyme disease, or Lyme borreliosis, is a tick-borne illness caused by Borrelia bacteria transmitted via Ixodes ticks. A hallmark symptom is erythema migrans (EM), a spreading red rash at the bite site, typically appearing a week post-bite. This rash is usually not itchy or painful and occurs in 70-80% of infected individuals. Early diagnosis can be challenging, but other early symptoms include fever, headaches, and fatigue. Without treatment, symptoms may progress to facial paralysis, joint pain, severe headaches with neck stiffness, or heart palpitations. Later stages, months to years after initial infection, can involve recurrent joint pain and swelling, or shooting pains in the limbs.

1909: Afzelius Presents Study on Erythema Migrans

At a research conference in 1909, Swedish dermatologist Arvid Afzelius presented a study about an expanding, ring-like lesion he had observed following the bite of a sheep tick and named it erythema migrans.

1911: Description of Borrelial Lymphocytoma

In 1911, the skin condition now known as borrelial lymphocytoma was first described.

1930: Hellerström Proposes Link Between EM and Neurological Symptoms

In 1930, Swedish dermatologist Sven Hellerström was the first to propose that EM and neurological symptoms following a tick bite were related.

1946: Experiments Treating EM Rashes

Starting in 1946, facilities in Sweden experimented with treating EM rashes with substances known to kill spirochetes. Einar Hollström reported that "penicillin was found to be the most effective."

1948: Lennhoff's Microscopic Observations

In 1948, Carl Lennhoff published on his use of a special stain to microscopically observe what he believed were spirochetes in various types of skin lesions, including EM.

1949: Thyresson Treats ACA with Penicillin

In 1949, Nils Thyresson was the first to treat ACA with penicillin.

1950: Hellerström paper reprinted

In 1950, a paper by Hellerström was reprinted in an American science journal, which would later be recalled by Rudolph Scrimenti in 1970.

1970: First documented case of EM in the United States

In 1970, Rudolph Scrimenti, a dermatologist in Wisconsin, recognized an EM lesion in a person after recalling a paper by Hellerström. He then treated the person with penicillin, marking the first documented case of EM in the United States.

1975: First Diagnosis of Lyme Disease

In 1975 Lyme disease was diagnosed as a separate condition for the first time in Lyme, Connecticut.

1975: First Diagnosis in Lyme, Connecticut

In 1975, Lyme disease was diagnosed as a separate condition for the first time in Lyme, Connecticut. It was initially mistaken for juvenile rheumatoid arthritis.

1975: Identification of Lyme disease cluster

In 1975, a cluster of cases initially thought to be juvenile rheumatoid arthritis was identified in three towns in southeastern Connecticut, including Lyme and Old Lyme. This led to the recognition of what is now known as Lyme disease, investigated by physicians David Snydman and Allen Steere, and others from Yale University, including Stephen Malawista.

1976: Naming of Lyme disease

Since 1976, the disease has been most often referred to as Lyme disease, Lyme borreliosis, or simply borreliosis, after previously being known as tick-borne meningopolyneuritis, Garin-Bujadoux syndrome, Bannwarth syndrome, Afzelius's disease, Montauk Knee, or sheep tick fever.

1980: Antibiotic testing and tick examination begin

In 1980, Steere, et al., began testing antibiotic regimens in adults with Lyme disease. Also in 1980, Jorge Benach provided Willy Burgdorfer with ticks from Shelter Island, New York, leading to Burgdorfer's discovery of spirochetes in the ticks.

1981: Bacterium Described by Willy Burgdorfer

In 1981, Willy Burgdorfer first described the bacterium involved in Lyme disease.

June 1982: Publication of Borrelia burgdorferi findings

In June 1982, Willy Burgdorfer published his findings in Science, identifying the spirochete as the cause of Lyme disease. The spirochete was named Borrelia burgdorferi in his honor.

1986: Voluntary Reporting Introduced in the UK

In 1986 voluntary reporting was introduced in the UK. There were 68 recorded cases of Lyme disease in the UK and Ireland combined.

1987: Identification of B. burgdorferi in tick saliva

In 1987, B. burgdorferi spirochetes were identified in tick saliva, confirming that transmission occurred via tick salivary glands.

1988: Lyme Disease Cases in the UK

In 1988, there were 23 confirmed cases of Lyme disease in the UK.

1989: Seropositivity Among Forestry Workers

In 1989, a report found that 25% of forestry workers in the New Forest were seropositive for Lyme disease.

January 1990: Lyme Disease Notifiable in Scotland

Since January 1990, Lyme disease (Borrelia burgdorferi infection) was made a notifiable disease in Scotland.

1990: Lyme Disease Cases in the UK

In 1990, there were 19 confirmed cases of Lyme disease in the UK.

1991: CDC Implements National Surveillance

In 1991, the CDC implemented national surveillance of Lyme disease cases.

1992: Jaenson & al. Study on European Roe Deer

In 1992, Jaenson & al. thought the European roe deer Capreolus capreolus "does not appear to serve as a major reservoir of B. burgdorferi".

1992: First Reported Case of BYS in Brazil

In 1992, the first reported case of Baggio–Yoshinari syndrome (BYS) in Brazil was made in Cotia, São Paulo.

December 1998: FDA Approves LYMErix

On December 21, 1998, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved LYMErix for persons of ages 15 through 70, based on clinical trials showing protective immunity to Lyme disease in 76% of adults after three doses.

1998: LYMErix Made Available

In 1998, LYMErix became available on the market as a vaccine for Lyme disease.

1999: Cases Reported in Mexico

Four cases of Borrelia burgdorferi infection were reported between 1999 and 2000 in Mexico.

2000: Cases Reported in Mexico

Four cases of Borrelia burgdorferi infection were reported between 1999 and 2000 in Mexico.

February 2002: LYMErix Withdrawn from U.S. Market

In February 2002, GlaxoSmithKline withdrew LYMErix from the U.S. market due to plummeting sales, negative media coverage, and fears of vaccine side effects, despite a lack of evidence that the complaints were caused by the vaccine.

2002: LYMErix Discontinued

In 2002, LYMErix was discontinued after being available since 1998.

2003: Researchers begin to postulate the dilution effect

In 2003, some researchers began to postulate whether the so called dilution effect could mitigate the spread of Lyme disease.

2004: Publication of Lab 257

In 2004, the book Lab 257: The Disturbing Story of the Government's Secret Plum Island Germ Laboratory was published, fueling conspiracy theories about Lyme disease being a biological weapon.

Lab 257: The Disturbing Story of the Government's Secret Germ Laboratory

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2005: Climate Suitability Modelling Study

A 2005 study using climate suitability modelling of I. scapularis projected that climate change would cause an overall 213% increase in suitable vector habitat by 2080.

2005: Case Statistics in the United States

In 2005, the ratio of Lyme disease infection reported to the United States CDC was 7.9 cases for every 100,000 persons. In the ten states where Lyme disease is most common, the average was 31.6 cases for every 100,000 persons.

2007: Study Suggests Endemic Infections in Mexico

A 2007 study suggests that Borrelia burgdorferi infections are endemic to Mexico, based on four cases reported between 1999 and 2000.

2008: Review of Published Studies

A 2008 review of published studies concluded that the presence of forests or forested areas was the only variable that consistently elevated the risk of Lyme disease.

2008: Release of documentary Under Our Skin

In 2008, the documentary Under Our Skin was released, known for promoting controversial and unrecognized theories about "chronic Lyme disease".

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2009: Tick Infection Rate in the UK

In 2009, tests on pet dogs indicated that around 2.5% of ticks in the UK may be infected with Lyme disease, considerably higher than previously thought.

2009: Lyme Disease Cases in the UK

In 2009, there were 973 confirmed cases of Lyme disease in the UK.

October 2010: Mandatory Reporting Introduced in the UK

In October 2010, mandatory reporting, limited to laboratory test results only, was introduced throughout the UK under the Health Protection (Notification) Regulations 2010.

2010: Borrelia DNA Found in Ötzi the Iceman

In 2010, the autopsy of Ötzi the Iceman, a 5,300-year-old mummy, revealed the presence of the DNA sequence of Borrelia burgdorferi, making him the earliest known human with Lyme disease.

2010: Lyme Disease Cases in the UK

In 2010, there were 953 confirmed cases of Lyme disease in the UK.

2011: Increase in Lyme Disease Cases

Provisional figures for the first 3 quarters of 2011 showed a 26% increase in Lyme disease cases in the UK compared to the same period in 2010.

2012: Model-Based Prediction of Tick Expansion

A model-based prediction by Leighton et al. in 2012 suggested that the range of the I. scapularis tick would expand into Canada by 46 km/year over the next decade.

July 2017: VLA15 Granted Fast Track Designation

In July 2017, the hexavalent (OspA) protein subunit-based vaccine candidate VLA15 was granted fast track designation by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

2018: Dilution effect research

As of 2018, the dilution effect is only supported in the Northeastern United States, and has been disproved in other parts of the world that also experience high Lyme disease incidence rates

April 2020: Pfizer Acquires Rights to VLA15

In April 2020, Pfizer paid $130 million for the rights to the vaccine VLA15, and partnered with Valneva to develop it, performing multiple phase 2 trials.

2022: Phase 3 Trial of VLA15 Scheduled

In 2022, a phase 3 trial of the VLA15 vaccine was scheduled, recruiting volunteers at test sites located across the northeastern United States and in Europe.

2022: Surveillance Case Definition Updated

In 2022, the surveillance case definition of Lyme disease classified cases as confirmed, probable, and suspect.

2022: VLA15 Phase 3 Trial Scheduled

In 2022, the vaccine candidate VLA15 was scheduled to start a phase 3 trial in the third quarter, with other research ongoing.

2023: Clinical Trials Ongoing, No Vaccine Available

As of 2023, clinical trials for human vaccines for Lyme disease were underway, but no vaccine was available. LYMERix, a previous vaccine, had been discontinued in 2002. Canine vaccines were available.