Australia to Begin Vaccinating Koalas Against Chlamydia in World First
Australian authorities are preparing to roll out a chlamydia vaccine for koalas in the wild, a landmark achievement following years of research and testing. The initiative marks the first time a vaccine for chlamydia has been deployed in a wild animal population, offering a critical lifeline to the vulnerable species.
chlamydia is a leading cause of infertility and blindness in koalas,and a important contributor to population decline. The disease spreads easily through mating and from mothers to joeys, threatening the long-term survival of already stressed populations facing habitat loss and climate change. This vaccine offers a crucial tool in conservation efforts, with researchers reporting a potential to decrease mortality from the disease by at least 65 percent.
The vaccine, developed based on Chlamydia pecorum’s major outer membrane protein (MOMP), has already been tested across multiple generations of the animal, according to a study published last year in Nature.
“This study found that the vaccine reduced the likelihood of koalas developing symptoms of chlamydia during breeding age and decreased mortality from the disease in wild populations by at least 65 percent,” said researcher Sam Phillips, who led the largest and longest study of wild koalas to date.
Phillips added that the vaccine offers three levels of protection: reducing infection, preventing progression to clinical disease, and, in some cases, reversing existing symptoms.
While chlamydia is a common bacterial sexually transmitted infection in humans that can lead to infertility if untreated, in koalas, the disease is spread through reproduction and social interactions during mating, and can be passed from mothers to their young.
This effort is part of CNN’s “Call to Earth” series,in partnership with Rolex’s Perpetual Planet Initiative,dedicated to reporting on environmental challenges and solutions.
