Groundbreaking research offers hope for patients with persistent Lyme disease symptoms

Groundbreaking research offers hope for patients with persistent Lyme disease symptoms

Researchers at Tulane University have identified a promising new approach to treating persistent neurological symptoms associated with Lyme disease, offering hope to patients suffering long-term effects of the bacterial infection even after antibiotic treatment. Their results were published inFrontiers in immunology.

Lyme disease, caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi and transmitted through tick bites, can lead to a range of symptoms that also affect the central and peripheral nervous system. While antibiotics are effective in clearing the infection in most cases, a subset of patients continue to experience symptoms such as memory loss, fatigue and pain - a condition often referred to as post-treatment Lyme disease syndrome.

Lead researcher Geetha Parthasarathy, PhD, assistant professor of microbiology and immunology at the Tulane National Primate Research Center, has found that fibroblast growth factor receptor inhibitors, a type of drug previously studied in connection with cancer, can significantly reduce inflammation and cell death in Borrelia burgdorferi infected brain and nerve tissue samples. This discovery suggests that targeting FGFR signaling pathways may provide an exciting new therapeutic approach to treating persistent neuroinflammation in patients with Lyme disease syndrome after treatment.

Our findings open the door to new research approaches that can help us support patients suffering from the lasting effects of Lyme disease. By focusing on the underlying inflammation that contributes to these symptoms, we hope to develop treatments that can improve the quality of life for those affected by this debilitating condition.”

Geetha Parthasarathy, PhD, assistant professor of microbiology and immunology, Tulane National Primate Research Center

Researchers treated nerve tissue with live or inactivated Borrelia burgdorferi, followed by the application of FGFR inhibitors. The study results showed a significant reduction in both inflammatory markers and cell death.

While further research is needed to translate these findings into clinical treatments, the study represents an important step forward in understanding and potentially managing the complex consequences of Lyme disease.

This study was funded by the Bay Area Lyme Foundation and supported with resources from the Tulane National Primate Research Center base grant of the National Institutes of Health, P51 OD011104.

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