Man's Immunity to Ticks Sparks Hope for Tick Vaccine Amidst Spike in Deadly Illness
Richard Ostfeld, a community ecologist, has developed acquired tick resistance (ATR) which causes ticks to die when they bite him. His immunity to ticks could pave the way for a tick vaccine. When a tick bites Ostfeld, white blood cells rush to the scene and release an inflammatory chemical called histamine which kills the ticks. ATR protects him from tick-borne diseases such as Lyme disease or babesiosis. Scientists are looking into inducing ATR in humans to develop a vaccine against ticks themselves, protecting against all the pathogens inside them.