Understanding why some people recover from Lyme disease while others develop long-term symptoms
Official title: Determinants of Post-Treatment Phenotypes in Lyme Disease
Funded at Johns Hopkins University · NIH-10877114 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking into why some people recover fully from Lyme disease while others continue to have symptoms, and it's for anyone who has had Lyme disease or is interested in understanding their recovery better.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Johns Hopkins University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Baltimore, United States) |
| Project start | July 1, 2023 |
| Project end | June 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $620,364 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AI178726-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-10877114 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research include individuals who have been treated for Lyme disease and are experiencing varying recovery outcomes.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who have not been diagnosed with Lyme disease or those who have not undergone treatment may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates the reasons behind differing recovery outcomes in patients treated for Lyme disease. By examining clinical, immunologic, and metabolic factors at the onset of infection, the study aims to identify why some individuals return to their pre-illness health while others develop post-treatment Lyme disease (PTLD). The research will involve unique patient cohorts, including those with PTLD, healthy controls, and patients with early Lyme disease, followed over a year after treatment. Advanced statistical and laboratory methods will be used to uncover risk factors and develop an assessment score to predict PTLD risk in clinical settings.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to better identification and management of patients at risk for developing long-term symptoms after Lyme disease treatment.
How similar studies have gone: While this research approach is innovative, previous studies have shown varying success in understanding post-treatment outcomes in Lyme disease, indicating a need for further exploration.
Where this research is happening
-
Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Aucott, John — Johns Hopkins University
- Study coordinator: Aucott, John
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Understanding why some people have ongoing symptoms after Lyme disease
A long-term study follows people diagnosed with acute Lyme disease to see who develops persistent symptoms and why, with care from a team of Lyme experts.
-
CSF Protein Map in Post-Treatment Lyme Disease
A short study to map proteins in spinal fluid of people who had Lyme disease and still feel sick after standard treatment, to understand what’s going on.
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Lyme disease vaccine research aimed at preventing infection
Researchers are developing a Lyme disease vaccine by studying how the immune system responds to Borrelia burgdorferi and testing vaccine approaches to prevent illness.
-
Lyme disease brain health: tracking brain signals and blood clues after treatment
This study follows people with early Lyme disease and compares them to healthy volunteers to see how the brain and blood markers change over a year after starting antibiotics.
-
Lyme disease symptoms lingering after treatment may be driven by special bacterial fragments
A human-friendly look at a study exploring why some Lyme patients keep symptoms after antibiotics and whether tiny fragments from the bacteria are to blame.
-
Understanding Lyme disease immune signals to predict recovery after antibiotics
A research project at MIT aims to find immune biomarkers that tell which Lyme patients will recover after standard antibiotics and who might have lasting symptoms.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.