By JIMMY LAWTON

Lyme disease infections have grown exponentially in St. Lawrence County over the past two decades with no end to the trend in sight, but what if there was a way to prevent or reduce infection rates?

Not long ago, it seems there was, and with the number of infections growing locally and nationally, some people are questioning whether it’s time to take a second look at a vaccine.

St. Lawrence County Cornell Cooperative Natural Resource Educator Paul Hetzler is dismayed that a vaccine for the debilitating disease is not on the market.

“If a vaccine was available, I’d be first in line,” he said. “I think we need to put some pressure on our government representatives to take a look at this problem.”

He says Lyme disease is quite serious and its symptoms are not well understood by the medical field. He should know, he as been infected with Lyme twice and although he has been treated he says symptoms seems to linger.

Sen. Patty Ritchie sits on a task force focused on Lyme and other tick-borne diseases, but did not respond to multiple requests for comment regarding the vaccine.

Missed Opportunity?

In 1998, a Lyme disease vaccine was developed and licensed. Some local state Department of Environmental Conservation employees even participated in a test of the vaccine.

But it was pulled from the market by 2002 following claims that the vaccine caused arthritic symptoms similar to those caused by Lyme. According to various news articles, the claims, which

were largely believed to have been false, led to bad press and left the vaccine unprofitable.

“The vaccine for Lyme disease is no longer available. It was discontinued by the

manufacturer in 2002, citing low demand,” the Center for Disease Control website says.

Calls to the CDC for further comment on the vaccine were referred to the New York State Department of Health, which did not respond to requests for comment.

Since 2002, a vaccine remains available for small pets, but can’t be purchased for humans and larger animals such as horses.

According to historyofvaccines.org and several media reports, clinic trials showed that the vaccine was 78 percent effective in protecting against Lyme after test subjects received all three doses.

Meanwhile, in St. Lawrence County, Lyme infections are increasing annually.

Between 1992 and 1996, only five instances of Lyme disease were confirmed locally. From 2012 to 2014, 272 cases were confirmed, according to St. Lawrence County Public Health Department. And the bad news is these estimates are likely much lower than the actual number of infections.

County officials say that while testing has increased in the past few years, many physicians prescribe treatments without testing.

Multiple Effects

Hetzler said his experiences with Lyme disease had a serious impact on his work and personal life.

“I experienced cognitive symptoms. I became aware of it when I was driving with my daughter in the car and she told be I had passed through a stop sign,” he said.

Hetzler said just a few minutes later, he passed through another stop sign and that’s when he pulled over and sought help.

“It changed everything all of the sudden. I was almost incapacitated, not bed ridden but so confused I could barley function,” he said.

Hetzler said the experience put him out of work for more than a month and to date he still feels lingering effects.

A retired DEC biologist and Potsdam resident, Ken Kogut, was one of thousands of DEC employees who took part in a test of the Lyme vaccine. He said he received two of the three doses that were required from the vaccination.

“They stopped the study two-thirds of the way through. It was kind of crazy to have all these people take the vaccination and not have any follow up. But they just packed up and left,” he said.

Tick Control Difficult

Kogut says he’d love to see the vaccine come back on the market. He said even something that is only 60 percent effective would substantially reduce the number of Lyme infections, which continue to rise.

“I’ve been bitten by ticks many times. I’ve taken antibiotics for it a number of times, but they never tested for the disease,” he said.

Kogut said the timing of the vaccine was just a bit off. He said it would likely resonate better with the public now that Lyme is becoming a more common disease.

Kogut says there aren’t many ways for the DEC to fight the growing tick population. He said pesticides would likely do more harm than good, so controlling the population is unlikely.

Currently the public health department recommends people wear repellents, be vigilant for checking for ticks when spending time outdoors and seeking treatment after removing ticks. But the effectiveness is questionable as ticks in the lymph stage, which is the most common to cause infection, can be smaller than a sesame seed.

Kogut says St. Lawrence County residents don’t need to look far to find someone who has suffered from Lyme disease.

“Most people around here know someone who has been infected,” he said.