A drug intended to treat sexually transmitted infections in humans , but miss immediate motivation , is showing voltage to protect koalas from the disease that is kill them .
Dr Willa Hustonof the University of Technology , Sydney , did n’t plant out to deliver Phascolarctos cinereus . Studying the chlamydia bacterium , Huston came across the metabolic inhibitor JO146 , which she believe might have hope for fighting the common disease .
age of research suggest JO146 might be effective . However , antibiotic resistance to chlamydia is not presently as widespread as for diseases such astuberculosis . With exist drug still commonly in force , there is little involvement in spending the large amounts of money call for to try out a new one ’s safety .
Huston told IFLScience that at one point she had hope her work could be apply against other bacterial diseases , but tests on a number of bacterium have not prove bright .
However , world are far from chlamydia ’s only victim . In the next research lab to Huston , a squad was work to save koalas fromChlamydia pecorum , a relative of theChlamydia trachomatisthat taint humans . Koalas ' unequalled digestive system , which allows them to live on eucalyptus leaves poisonous to most other coinage , are very badly impress by oral antibiotic .
Chlamydia infections can blind koalas and deliver them infertile , pull in the disease one of the major crusade of their declination . subsist handling trust onChloramphenicol 150 , a drug no longer being manufactured , with only two year ’s supply remaining .
The effects of Chlamydia infections on koala ’s eyes can be fearsome . Willa Huston
So koala guardians are excite by Huston ’s publication inScientific Reportsof work showing that JO146 killsC. pecorumwithout harming koala cells . As an total incentive it also killsC. pneumoniae , another member of the Chlamydia family that also infect koalas .
Hutson ’s research has been done on tissue samples , not live koala . “ It will be a year or two before we are quick for program , ” Huston told IFLScience . “ First , we necessitate to trial it on other animals , credibly something like a rabbit with a similarly complex gut biome . ”
If JO146 proves efficacious , Huston will face the same problem that has charter Chloramphenicol off the market . “ There are only about 100,000 koalas or less , ” she told IFLScience . As an Australian icon and a symbol of all that is lovely , koala appeal far more funding than less charismatic beasts , but are still unlikely to make mass production of a drug viable on their own .
Huston is exploring the possibility JO146 will demonstrate effectual against mintage of Chlamydia that taint various other beast , widening the market place . Additionally , her plan is to avoid sell JO146 to a bay window , allowing it to be produced on a small musical scale by non - profit body .
Meanwhile , Huston pointed out to IFLScience there is “ some grounds of treatment failure ” for Chlamydia in people . If widespread antibiotic resistance come forth , the existence of an effective discourse for our eucalyptus - roll in the hay friends could lash the sentence it would take to bring forth a interlingual rendition for humans .
Barnarcles the koala recovering after being treated with Chloramphenicol . regrettably , with this drug no longer being made regularly , vets are in indigence of a replacing treatment for kangaroo bear against chlamydia . Willa Huston
[ H / T : ABC ]
