Australia’s koalas to get chlamydia vaccine as STD spreads through the wild
- The disease is estimated to have infected more than half of some koala populations, and is one of many reasons contributing to the animal’s decline
- Just like humans, chlamydia is curable for koalas but if left untreated, it can cause serious and permanent damage to reproductive systems
Hundreds of koalas in Australia will receive a chlamydia vaccine in the coming months in hopes of helping the native species that has been plagued by the sexually-transmitted disease.
In humans, chlamydia is a curable STD both men and women can get. If left untreated, it can cause serious and permanent damage to a woman’s reproductive systems, according to the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.
The same effects apply to koalas, which can only be found in the wild in Australia. The disease has rapidly spread among the koala population and is estimated to have infected over half of some of the marsupial’s populations.
“It is a cruel disease that causes debilitating conjunctivitis, bladder infections and at times, infertility,” Amber Gillett, a veterinarian and research coordinator for the Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital, said in a statement.
“Although many koalas with chlamydia can be treated using traditional antibiotics, some animals cannot be saved due to the severity of their infection.”
Now, a team of researchers at the University of the Sunshine Coast in Queensland are rolling out a chlamydia vaccine to around 400 koalas in the country to help the population get back on its feet.