Australia Authorizes First-Ever Chlamydia Vaccine for Koalas
Sunshine Coast, Australia – In a landmark decision for conservation efforts, Australian authorities have approved a vaccine to protect koalas against chlamydia, a disease devastating populations of the iconic marsupial. The Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) granted a permit authorizing the vaccine’s use in june, running through June 2027.
Chlamydia poses a critically important threat to koala survival, causing blindness, infertility, bladder damage, and even starvation as the disease hinders their ability to find food. While antibiotics have been used for treatment, they are not always effective, can cause debilitating side effects, and don’t prevent reinfection.In severe cases, euthanasia remains the only option.
The newly approved vaccine, developed by researchers at the University of the Sunshine Coast (UniSC), offers a promising solution. Based on Chlamydia pecorum’s major outer membrane protein (MOMP), the vaccine has demonstrated the ability to reduce infection rates, prevent the progression of clinical disease, and even reverse existing symptoms in some cases, according to UniSC senior researcher Sam Phillips.
A study published last year in Nature revealed the vaccine reduced signs of chlamydia during koalas’ breeding age and decreased mortality from the disease by 64%. the vaccine has already been tested on hundreds of wild and captive koalas.
Koala Conservation Australia reports that chlamydia can spread through mating,infected discharges,and from mother to joey – even through the consumption of “pap,” a maternal fecal substance. The approval of the vaccine marks a critical step forward in safeguarding the future of koalas, a species already facing numerous threats including habitat loss and climate change.
