Researchers for the Lyme vaccine initially worked under that same premise.

While most vaccines are designed to attack bacteria that invade the body, the Lyme vaccine kills the bacteria before it hits the bloodstream.

No Lyme vaccine is currently on the market.

The new Lyme vaccine, on the other hand, is a protein that has never existed in nature.

Some doctors say the drug agency should never have approved the Lyme vaccine or should have responded more quickly to adverse reports.

Lyme vaccine is also on the list of recommended vaccines at the Acosta's clinic.

There are currently two versions of the Lyme vaccine, both using the surface protein, and they have been given to several hundred people over the last few months, mostly to test for safety.

"We continue to be closely monitoring the safety of the Lyme vaccine, and all serious reports are followed up on."

This chemical virtuosity, they say, helps explain why the current Lyme vaccine has not been more protective.

The current Lyme vaccine was designed to destroy OspA and therefore kill the bacteria.