Humans are n’t the only brute that can catchchlamydia : Birds , frogs , and other animal have been have a go at it tocontractit , too . Forkoalas , however , the STD is exceptionally common — and therefore threatening to the animal ' already dwindle down population number across Australia .
In gain to transmitting chlamydia through sexual contact , distaff koalas can inadvertently draw it on to their offspring through theirpap , a type of very nutritious fecal matter that joeys deplete once they ’ve grow out of breastfeeding ( but are n’t yet old enough for eucalyptus leaves).According toNational Geographic , scientist have do by chlamydia with antibiotic drug in the past times , but those antibiotics may have an adverse burden on koalas ’ ability to break down harmful tannins in eucalyptus leaf .
Now , there ’s a preventive measuring rod on the purview : a vaccine . As NBC Newsreports , researcher at Australia ’s University of the Sunshine Coast ( USC ) have administered an experimental chlamydia vaccinum to more than 200 koalas , both intent and wild , and seen promising result .
“ The vaccinum has now go through Phase 1 and form 2 testing that has shew that it is completely safe and produces a good immune response and a beneficial level of aegis , ” USC microbiology professor Peter Timms said in anews release .
The team recently kicked off the third form , which involves immunize another 400 koalas at the Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital . All koalas will also be implanted with microchips , so researcher can track any that terminate up back in the hospital in the next year .
Chlamydia can cause pinkish eye , bladder infections , infertility , and evendeathin Phascolarctos cinereus . That ’s bad newsworthiness for any specie , but specially one whose overall universe has plummeted 30 percent since just 2018 , according to the Australian Koala Foundation [ PDF ] . Major culprits include wildfires , drought , hotness waves , and land glade .
Though protecting koalas ( which , by the way , are n’t actuallybears ) from chlamydia ca n’t clear those issues , it could facilitate make them more resilient while man form to determine their habitat .
[ h / tNBC News ]
