Oral Vaccine For Borrelia

Abstract

The present invention relates to vaccines for control of Borrelia infections in animal and human populations. In particular, the present invention provides compositions and methods comprising recombinant bacteria engineered to express one or more Borrelia burgdorferi antigens for use as Lyme disease vaccines. In some embodiments, the recombinant bacteria are freeze-dried.

1 . A composition comprising a bacterium engineered to express at least one outer surface protein of  Borrelia burgdorferi.    
     
     
         2 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein said bacterium comprises lyophilized  E. coli.    
     
     
         3 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein said bacterium comprises a lactobacillus selected from the group consisting of  L. acidophilus, L. brevis, L. casei, L. crispatus, L. fermentum, L. gasseri, L. plantarum, L. reuteri, L. rhamnosus,  and  L. salivarius.    
     
     
         4 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein said lactobacillus comprises  L. plantarum.    
     
     
         5 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one outer surface protein comprises an OspA fragment of at least 100 amino acids that is at least 90% identical to the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO:2. 
     
     
         6 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one outer surface protein comprises an OspA fragment of at least 200 amino acids that is at least 80% identical to the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO:2. 
     
     
         7 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one outer surface protein comprises an OspA fragment with a mutated hLFA1 epitope. 
     
     
         8 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one outer surface protein comprises an OspC fragment of at least 100 amino acids that is at least 80% identical to the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO :4. 
     
     
         9 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one outer surface protein comprises an OspC fragment of at least 150 amino acids that is at least 85% identical to the amino acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO:4. 
     
     
         10 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one outer surface protein comprises one or both of an OspC1 type fragment and OspC12 type fragment. 
     
     
         11 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one outer surface protein comprises a chimeric protein comprising an SEQ ID NO:2 (OspA) fragment, and one or more of an OspC1 type fragment, and an OspC12 type fragment. 
     
     
         12 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein said outer surface protein comprises one or more of an OspC4 type fragment, an OspC6 type fragment, and an OspC8 type fragment. 
     
     
         13 . An oral vaccine composition comprising at least one bacterium engineered to express at least one  Borrelia burgdorferi  outer surface protein, and a food carrier or an excipient. 
     
     
         14 . The composition of  claim 13 , wherein said bacterium is selected from the group consisting of  Escherichia coli,  and  Lactobacillus plantarum.    
     
     
         15 . The composition of  claim 13 , wherein said bacterium is lyophilized. 
     
     
         16 . The composition of  claim 13 , wherein said food carrier comprises a dairy product selected from the group consisting of milk, yogurt, and cheese, or a grain product selected from the group consisting of grain, seed, bread, and cereal. 
     
     
         17 . The composition of  claim 13 , wherein said excipient is selected from the group consisting of a sugar, a starch, a gum, and a protein. 
     
     
         18 . The composition of  claim 13 , wherein said food carrier comprises animal chow. 
     
     
         19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . A kit comprising the oral vaccine composition of  claim 13 , and instructions for orally administering said oral vaccine composition. 
     
     
         21 - 30 . (canceled)