What is the vaccination against ticks called? - briefly
The preventive immunization is called an anti‑tick vaccine, commonly marketed under names such as TickGARD or Gavac. It is administered to animals to induce immunity against tick infestations.
What is the vaccination against ticks called? - in detail
The only preventive immunization directly aimed at ticks is an anti‑tick vaccine, not a vaccine against a disease transmitted by ticks. In humans no licensed product exists that immunizes against the tick itself; the only human vaccine that addressed a tick‑borne pathogen was LYMErix, an OspA‑based formulation for Lyme disease, withdrawn from the market in 2002.
In veterinary medicine several anti‑tick vaccines are approved:
- Gavac (commercially known as TickGARD) – a recombinant Bm86 protein vaccine for cattle, reduces attachment and feeding of Rhipicephalus spp.
- TickGARD Plus – a subunit vaccine for dogs targeting Ixodes scapularis, induces antibodies that impair tick attachment and pathogen transmission.
- Recombinant Bm86‑based vaccines – used in sheep and goats, similar mode of action as Gavac.
These products work by stimulating the host’s immune system to produce antibodies that bind to tick gut antigens, interfering with blood‑meal digestion and reproductive capacity. The result is a measurable decline in tick infestations and a lower risk of pathogen transmission.
Human prevention relies on repellents, protective clothing, and prompt removal of attached ticks; no specific anti‑tick immunization is available for people.