Posted on 05/01/2025 9:22:42 PM PDT by Red Badger
Deer ticks, like the one photographed, can carry Lyme disease/ (KPixMining/Shutterstock)
In a nutshell
* The antibiotic piperacillin has shown remarkable effectiveness against Lyme disease-causing bacteria, Borrelia burgdorferi, at doses 100 times lower than doxycycline, the current standard treatment.
* Unlike doxycycline, which affects beneficial gut bacteria, piperacillin targets only the Lyme bacteria without disrupting the microbiome, making it a safer option, especially for children and pregnant women.
* The discovery opens the door for piperacillin to be repurposed as a highly effective treatment for Lyme disease, potentially even as a single-dose preventive therapy after a tick bite. Further research is needed to confirm its effectiveness in larger animal studies.
****************************************************************************
EVANSTON, Ill. — For the half-million Americans facing Lyme disease each year, treatment often means taking antibiotics that ravage their gut microbiome and still fail 20% of patients. But an existing antibiotic could change everything. Scientists have just discovered that piperacillin destroys the Lyme-causing bacteria with sniper-like precision at dramatically lower doses than current treatments.
The widely-used antibiotic piperacillin eradicated Borrelia burgdorferi, the spirochete bacterium causing Lyme disease, at concentrations 100 times lower than doxycycline, the current standard treatment. This could address multiple problems with current Lyme disease treatments, including their failure in up to 20% of patients and inability to be used in young children and pregnant women.
Researchers from Virginia Tech and Northwestern University suggest piperacillin could give doctors another valuable option for treating Lyme disease, according to their study published in Science Translational Medicine.
A Growing Health Threat
Lyme disease, primarily transmitted through tick bites, has become an escalating health concern across the United States and Europe. If left untreated, the infection can spread to the heart, joints, and nervous system, causing serious complications. As tick populations expand their geographic range due to climate change and urbanization, cases continue to rise, making the need for effective treatments more urgent.
Human sweat contains a protein that may protect against Lyme disease, according to a study from MIT and the University of Helsinki
The research team employed an innovative drug screening approach to identify piperacillin’s exceptional effectiveness. Instead of measuring how the bacteria grow (which is tough because Lyme bacteria grow slowly), they focused on how the bacteria build their outer structure. This approach helped them test almost 500 approved drugs and find the ones that target Lyme bacteria in a unique way.
Why Piperacillin Stands Out From Current Treatments
Unlike doxycycline, which indiscriminately kills a wide range of bacteria including beneficial gut microbes, piperacillin at low doses specifically targets and kills B. burgdorferi while leaving other bacterial species untouched. This stems from piperacillin’s interaction with a specific protein involved in Lyme bacteria’s unusual multi-zonal growth pattern.
When mice infected with Lyme disease were treated with piperacillin, the antibiotic cleared the infection at doses 100 times lower than doxycycline. Also, while doxycycline treatment significantly disrupted the mice’s gut microbiome, piperacillin treatment at the effective dose had virtually no impact on gut bacteria.
Doxycycline’s broad-spectrum killing of gut bacteria can compromise immune function, something worth avoiding when fighting infection. Doxycycline also produces unwanted effects in human cells and cannot be prescribed to children under eight years of age or pregnant women.
Piperacillin’s Precision Attack
Piperacillin is already widely used to treat infections caused by other bacteria, though typically at much higher doses than what might be needed for Lyme disease. It could potentially be repurposed for Lyme disease treatment, possibly even as a single-dose preventative therapy after a suspected tick bite.
Before piperacillin becomes a clinical option for Lyme disease, further research is needed. Nevertheless, the discovery has the potential to be a safer, more targeted option that could help thousands who cannot take current treatments or for whom they fail. It also demonstrates the value of repurposing existing medications, a strategy that can accelerate bringing treatments to patients by bypassing many required development and safety testing steps.
Piperacillin, a medication doctors have prescribed for decades, may soon offer Lyme patients a treatment that targets only what harms them while preserving what helps them heal. Science might finally be catching up to the tiny disease vectors we call ticks.
Paper Summary
Methodology
The researchers used a comprehensive screening approach to identify potential new treatments for Lyme disease from FDA-approved compounds. Rather than using traditional methods that measure bacterial growth (which are difficult with the slow-growing Lyme bacteria), they monitored peptidoglycan synthesis—an essential component of bacterial cell walls—using a fluorescent marker. They screened 466 FDA-approved compounds at 100 nM concentration against Borrelia burgdorferi cultures, then conducted counter-screens against other bacterial species to identify compounds with Lyme-specific activity. The most promising candidate, piperacillin, was further tested in laboratory experiments to determine its mechanism of action and minimum inhibitory concentration. Finally, the researchers tested piperacillin in mice infected with B. burgdorferi, comparing its effectiveness to doxycycline (the standard treatment) and analyzing its impact on the gut microbiome through 16S rRNA sequencing.
Results
Piperacillin emerged as exceptionally effective against B. burgdorferi at very low concentrations (minimum inhibitory concentration of 35 nM or 0.018 mg/mL), killing the bacteria 10-200 times more effectively than doxycycline. Laboratory studies revealed that piperacillin specifically targets BB0136, a protein involved in B. burgdorferi‘s unusual cell division process, with extremely high affinity (IC50 of 20.5 nM). In mouse studies, piperacillin at just 1 mg/kg/day was as effective as doxycycline at 100 mg/kg/day in clearing the infection. Importantly, while doxycycline significantly disrupted the gut microbiome, piperacillin at its effective dose had virtually no impact on gut bacteria. No viable bacteria were recovered from mice treated with piperacillin even eight weeks after treatment ended, suggesting complete eradication of the infection.
Limitations
The researchers acknowledge several limitations. The study primarily used needle inoculation rather than tick transmission of the bacteria, which might affect results. They did not perform xenodiagnoses (using ticks to detect residual infection) and did not test treatment after extremely long infection periods. The authors need to test the treatment in larger animals and to evaluate its effectiveness against persistent forms of the bacteria. Beta-lactam antibiotics like piperacillin theoretically only work on actively replicating bacteria, which might limit effectiveness against dormant forms if they exist in Lyme disease. Finally, piperacillin has relatively short persistence in the bloodstream (45-70 minute half-life in humans), which could affect clinical applications.
Funding and Disclosures
The research was funded in part by the Bay Area Lyme Foundation, USDA (VA-160113), National Institutes of Allergy and Infectious Disease (R01AI173256, R01AI178711), the Steven & Alexandra Cohen Foundation, and Global Lyme Alliance. No conflicts of interest were disclosed.
Publication Information
The paper titled “A comprehensive, high-resolution screen identifies and validates a pre-existing beta-lactam that specifically treats Lyme disease” was published in Science Translational Medicine. It was authored by Maegan E. Gabby, Abey Bandara, Lea M. Outrata, Osamudiamen Ebohon, Saadman Ahmad, Jules M. Dressler, Mecaila E. McClune, Lainey Mullins, and Brandon L. Jutras from Virginia Tech’s Department of Biochemistry, Fralin Life Science Institute, and Center for Emerging, Zoonotic, and Arthropod-borne Pathogens, as well as Northwestern University’s Department of Microbiology-Immunology and Human Center for Immunobiology.
Folks allergic to penicillin will have to opt for something else...?
The old drugs..............
Well, there’s always good ol’ doxy...
BRAVE AI:
Hydroxychloroquine for Lyme Disease
Hydroxychloroquine, also known by the brand name Plaquenil, is used in the treatment of Lyme arthritis when standard antibiotic therapy is not sufficient. It is often used in combination with macrolide antibiotics like clarithromycin to improve clinical outcomes in patients with chronic Lyme disease symptoms, such as fatigue, musculoskeletal pain, and neurocognitive dysfunction.
In some cases, hydroxychloroquine has been shown to augment the clinical activity of macrolide antibiotics by alkalinizing acidic compartments where Borrelia burgdorferi, the bacteria causing Lyme disease, may reside.
This combination therapy has resulted in self-reported improvements of 50% or more in 80% of patients after three months of treatment.
Hydroxychloroquine is typically taken twice daily with food or milk and may take 1 to 2 months to begin working.
It is important to monitor for any vision problems, as it can rarely cause issues such as blurred vision or seeing black spots, which should be reported to a doctor immediately.
Hydroxychloroquine can also be used in conjunction with other medications such as NSAIDs, prednisone, and Enbrel for managing inflammation and joint pain associated with Lyme arthritis.
We refer to Halloween as Tick or Treat at our house for very good reason.
We’ll never forget that one.
BRAVE AI:
Ivermectin for Lyme Disease
Ivermectin is being explored as a potential treatment for Lyme disease due to its antiparasitic and anti-inflammatory properties. Research indicates that ivermectin may disrupt Borrelia burgdorferi biofilms, which are protective layers that make the bacteria resistant to antibiotics, thereby enhancing the effectiveness of antibiotics like doxycycline.
Additionally, ivermectin has been shown to reduce inflammatory cytokines such as IL-6 and TNF-α, which could alleviate symptoms like joint pain, fatigue, and neuroinflammation associated with chronic Lyme disease.
While ivermectin shows promise, it is not yet FDA-approved for treating Lyme disease, and more clinical trials are needed to confirm its efficacy and safety.
Patients should only use ivermectin under medical supervision.
The standard treatment for Lyme disease remains antibiotics, such as doxycycline, which are effective for the majority of patients in the early stages of the infection.
However, for up to 20% of patients, these antibiotics may not work, leading to lingering symptoms.
Stanford researchers have identified azlocillin as a potential alternative that could eliminate the bacteria causing Lyme disease and may be effective for treating patients with drug-tolerant bacteria.
Ivermectin is generally safe and affordable, with fewer drug interactions compared to some Lyme disease treatments, making it a potential option for combination therapy.
However, patients with liver disease should use ivermectin with caution as it is metabolized in the liver.
FWIW, I’ll stick with doxy.
Better the devil I know.
And since I started dressing appropriately when visiting Tick Central, I haven’t had any more hitchhikers.
An ounce of prevention really is worth a pound of cure. :-)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/medicine-and-dentistry/ivermectin
A link from 2022.
If I read that correctly, looks like invermectin was approved a while back for clinical use with regard to Lyme...
Now THAT is interesting, as I have Lyme-related arthritis. Wonder about it’s side-effects, and already using a small-dose of prednisone (2.5mg) daily.
It is natural to want to kill rattlesnakes. Just like it is natural to want to rid the area of wolves.
Lots of animals that are native to Connecticut would be happy to take out mice.
Hawks, owls, foxes, racoons, non-poisonous snakes including garter snakes and rat snakes.
Rural homeowners can also have outdoor kitties and dogs.
Same here and the damn thing was on my kitchen counter top......freaked me out.
bkmk
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There must be some very large rattlesnakes in CT, if they prey on deer!
Lymes is nothing to mess with. I lost my Yellow Lab to it - she was diagnosed too late to save her. It effected her kidneys. :(
We are VERY vigilant around here. All dogs and people get regular doses of tick spray/oral chews. Expensive, but not as costly as losing a well-trained hunting dog!
Had my first tick of the season on me, yesterday. It was on my sweatshirt, but I still squished it a good one. So satisfying!
You squished a tick? Around here it takes a hammer, or a flush down the toilet to dispose of them.
(from the article):" No viable bacteria were recovered from mice treated with piperacillin even eight weeks after treatment ended,
suggesting complete eradication of the infection. "
"..suggesting complete eradication of the infection. "
Metmom, You're right : "Excellent news" !
While it is still in trial stage, it is excellent news on combating Lyme disease infection
According to the Cleveland clinic :” The first recognition of Lyme disease, also called borreliosis, [a bacterial infection caused by [Borrelia burgdorferi ]
began in 1975 when many children received a diagnosis of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis in Lyme Conn.
Also, other diseases are 'Rocky Mountain spotted fever', and 'anaplasmosis'. are also tickborne bacterial infections
Whereas Powassan is a viral disease from tick bites and is endemic in Canada, US, Mexico, South and Central America,
and has a 20 -30% fatality rate to the untreated.
Deer mice.
Deer mice.
Look nearly identical to white footed mice.
Last week I went to the Delmarva Peninsula (MD, VA shore) to do the first cut on my cottage property lawn. I sprayed my legs and shoes, and wore shorts so I could examine my legs as I worked and immediately after. Nevertheless I found a tiny tick crawling on my arm, and a larger (dog? tick) crawling on my cheek. The deer are accused of carrying ticks around there, and I think I got them mowing under low branches and brushing against them. A year ago I came home with one on my back and developing a bullseye rash. A month of 100 mg doxy took care of that problem.
Neat trick—I brushed the small tick off on id a smooth surface, pressed scotch tape on it, and folded the rest of the strip on to the other side. One captive tick to show a doctor if needed. No bite however this trip.
Many years ago I picked 23 ticks off my husband after he did yard work. One was causing the rash, and treatment took care of that. He was very hairy, back, front, shoulder, etc. Fortunately red haired so the dark ticks showed up.
Regarding use of HCQ and Ivermectin for low cost treatment, Fauci did that. But it was a trick. On May 11. 2020, he announced NIH would do a study of HCQ and Azithromycin on hospitalized veterans with Covid. On March 23, 2020, Dr. Zalenko had sent the White House a message about using HCQ with ZINC to attack Covid virus in infected cells, and Axithromycin to prevent the deadly lung infections of Covid. Dr. Z also stressed the importance of VERY EARLY TREATMENT, before a test has even confirmed the illness. President Trump and Fauci mentioned all 3 parts for around a week, then suddenly the word ZINC was dropped from the conversation. Yet, ZINC was the virus killer???
I believe Fauci did this because Gilead Sciences, supported by Fauci, was about to announce it’s new drug, Remdesivir, as a valuable treatment for Covid. Unfortunately, it was not very useful, and subsequently even appeared to be dangerous. However, it was worth $3,000 a treatment course, subsidized by US, THE TAXPAYERS. Thus Fauci promoted research on an ineffective treatment on the wrong group of patients, to help eliminate interest in part of a potentially effective treatment from any consideration. By the way, the Zelenco treatment only cost $20.
Not only was Gilead Science’s Remdesivir not very good, but around the same time lawyers were seeking AIDs sufferers to take part in a class action law suit regarding unethical use of original Truvada class AIDs drugs, with major bad side effects. In fact GS had developed a much better similar class of drugs, but GS waited 10 years before introducing it because they wanted to use up the original more dangerous version before giving out the better drug. This was the kind of company Fauci favored, and him with all his experience in AIDs treatment. Some have suggested that an AIDs vaccine was never developed because there was MUCH MORE money to be made by doing lifetime daily treatment of AIDs rather than finding a cure/vaccine.
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