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softwaredoug

Lyme is so prevalent... So much suffering could have been prevented, if weren't for these lawsuits.

FTA

> That's what happened with the last Lyme vaccine.

> Lymerix was approved and released in 1998 and gone — off the market — in fewer than four years.

> Some believed the vaccine caused early onset arthritis, and that in turn led to a class-action lawsuit.

> Its maker pulled the vaccine, citing poor sales, despite the fact that a 2001 U.S. Food and Drug Administration study found no link between Lymerix and early or late onset arthritis.

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A lot of things were apparently poorly handled with Lymerix and it also apparently wasn't a great vaccine. Lyme was also not broadly seen as a big problem at the time.

The good news is that Pfizer has an mRNA Lyme vaccine in clinical trials.

I'm pretty sure if the vaccine really worked well a few lawsuits wouldn't be enough to stop it. I suspect it must be less effective than expected.

Lyme disease can be treated pretty effectively with penicillin. Maybe instead of blaming the lawyers, we should blame penicillin. :) Sometimes having a safe, low cost treatment prevents the development or adoption of a preventative medicine or vaccine. One can imagine possible parallels to the present.

I also wonder what percentage of the population would truly be worried about ticks in the developed world. I have, afaik, have never been bitten by one or had much concern that I might.

There's evidently a lot of ticks near Harvard.

I know there's thousands where I live in Louisiana, as well. "Developed" doesn't matter, just a place where squirrels or whatever are is enough to have ticks too.

I've never had a tick attach to me, but I have squished them climbing up my pants after coming inside, and obviously dogs collect them like pokemon.

Where I'm at, anyone who likes to inhabit the outdoors. All the woods, riverbanks, hiking trails are thick with them. Any kind of natural space with tall grass or trees.

In the tick seasons, I have ticks on me a few times per week. I usually feel them before they bite, though.

My dog gets bitten a lot (has a collar now) but why are you getting bitten? I was told ticks don't fall from the trees, as I assumed, but linger in the grass and then walk up your legs. Stuffing your trousers into your socks should prevent most of them, no?

I wear pants inside of duck boots, and I generally get bitten at my waistline.

I catch a lot of them before they get that high, but some slip through.

My dogs get a ton. When they have the oil insecticide, they'll die while still on the dog. They do get a lot fewer with treatment.

We have quite a few ticks. After a 30 second walk in the forest, I can easily have 10 of them crawling on me.

I presume you do not have pets then?

Quite many people, especially one's who have dogs regularly get outside the city and interact with forests one way or another.

That being said, it is possible to get bitten by a tick even in a city, pretty much anywhere in Europe, no idea how it is in US.

I have, afaik, have never been bitten by one or had much concern that I might.

This kind of blows my mind. Presumably you don't spend a great deal of time off pavement?

I think this depends largely on your location. I live in northwestern Oregon, and whereas there are ticks here, they aren't very prevalent. Despite constantly knocking about in the brush, I have yet to get a tick either.

As a basement-dweller myself, I also got a few ticks from my cat. He collects them in his fur, comes inside to feed, sleep and cuddle, and sometimes a tick decides that I'm yummier than the cat.

Dog-owners do report the same problem, at least if the animal is allowed close contact with humans for more than a few seconds apiece.

They're less common in the US West but they're widespread in the East. (Especially further south but they're spreading.) Many are dog ticks (larger) which are less problematic but not unproblematic. They're far from some barely existent bogeyman. I've had a good dozen or so on me this summer even being careful.

In Southern Germany, the vaccine against tick-borne encephalitis ("FSME") is one of the standard vaccines that is administered to almost everyone growing up, with booster shots every 10 years or so.

very much relies on where you live. For instance if you live near the coast in southern parts of Norway and go for a hike you should allways check for ticks afterwards. I usually just take a shower as soon as I get back home to make sure i get them off before they bite.

It is not uncommon to find multiple ticks on your clothes if you have been walking in tall grass. But they usually take quite a while before they find a spot to bite. So if you take some precautions it is not a big problem.

AFAIK Doxycycline is more common for deer ticks. But having to get treatment after a random walk in the woods as can be the case where I live isn’t very practical.

It's preferable to prevent than to treat.

What if you don’t know you have it until it’s too late?

The bullseye mark only occurs in 70% or so cases. And if you have been bitten in the arm pit or your but crack, you might even miss the telltale rash entirely.

Also two weeks of doxycycline (or any antibiotic for that matter) isn’t fun.

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