Chlamydial Koalas: There is Hope

It’s an iconic species beloved by Australians, cuddled by photo-seeking tourists, and, unfortunately, severely infected by a strain of chlamydia. With less than 80,000 left in the wild, koala bear populations are deemed vulnerable by several Australian states. What’s even more disturbing than the bears’ dwindling population numbers is their high rate of STD infection—30-50% of all wild koalas suffer from a strain of chlamydia directly related to the sexually transmitted disease that humans can contract. The disease causes blindness and infertility in the eucalyptus-eating bears, whose red eyes are not a signature of how tired they are—koalas sleep 18-20 hours per day—but rather a telltale sign of infection.

When the animals are not sleeping, they keep quite busy. Males mate with several females every week, and the STD spreads rapidly. If left untreated, most infected females become incapable of producing viable offspring, adding another obstacle to the list of barriers against population growth. However, scientists at Australia’s University of the Sunshine coast discovered a breakthrough vaccine in late 2014. These researchers have conducted “the world’s first successful field trial of a vaccine against chlamydia in koalas.” The experiment involved administering the vaccine to a group of 30 healthy koalas, which were then released into the wild. Six months later, the vaccinated koalas were tested and found to be chlamydia free. Alas, the same could not be said for the bears in the unvaccinated control group, many of whom became infected.

The breakthrough offers optimism and hope for a healthy population rebound within the decade, as well as the opportunity for koalas across the Southern Hemisphere to be able to practice safe sex once again. Now that’s something to smile about!

Source: http://bloom.bg/1v5VGSS