New miracle gel developed to combat Lyme’s disease from tick bites

A ‘miracle gel’ is being developed that immediately stops diseases caused by tick bites – such as Lyme’s – in their tracks. The gel is currently being tested on people who have suffered tick bites, and, if successful, it could be available in pharmacies within a year.
The gel’s active ingredient is azithromycin, an antibiotic that stops the disease from spreading.  It is applied to the skin after a tick bite, and early trials suggest it could be effective for up to five days after someone has been bitten.
The gel is being formulated by the German company, Ixodes, in association with researchers at the Ludwig-Maximilian University in Munich.
Many hundreds of thousands of people are bitten by ticks every year, and go on to develop Lyme’s disease, characterised by joint and organ pains.  Last month, a new tick-borne disease – which mimics DVT (deep vein thrombosis) – was identified.
(Source: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft, December 19, 2011).