this revolutionary antibiotic that could change everything

Hope in the fight against Lyme disease. Northwestern university researchers discovered thatan antibiotic Already approved in particular in the treatment of pneumonia could revolutionize the way in which this pathology is treated, with fewer side effects and higher efficiency.

An antibiotic of the same family as penicillin

Lyme disease, also called Lyme borreliosisis a disease transmitted by ticks. In France, between 2009 and 2021, the number of annual cases estimated varied between 26,000 and 68,000 with an upward trend.

If it is not treated quickly, this infection can cause heart, neurological problems and chronic forms of arthritis. Currently, the only means of processing borreliosis are antibiotics.

Problem, the current standard treatment based on doxycycline has major drawbacks: it does not work In 10 to 20 % of patients and destroys the beneficial bacteria of the intestinal microbiome.

But a study published on April 23 in the journal Science Translational Medicine Reveals that piperacillin, an antibiotic of the same family as penicillin, has proven to be effective in curing mice with Lyme disease at a dose 100 times lower than that of doxycycline. Piperacillin specifically targets bacteria Borrelia responsible for Lyme disease, without disturbing the balance of the intestinal flora.

Prevention

To achieve this conclusion, scientists from Northwestern University (Illinois) have tested the effectiveness of 500 antibiotics approved by Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on mice with Lyme disease.

Their research has shown that pipéracillin interferes exclusively with the synthesis process of the cell wall of Lyme bacteria, preventing them from growing and causing their death.

Researchers suggest that this antibiotic, already approved as a treatment against pneumonia, could also be used in prevention. A person potentially exposed to Lyme disease following a tick bite could Receive a single dose of the drug.

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