With a chlamydia vaccination for the marsupials, scientists at an Australian university want to help the island’s diminishing and cherished koala population.
The University of the Sunshine Coast announced this month that the third phase of an experimental vaccine trial had begun.
Chlamydia is a disease that can be fatal to animals. If left untreated, it can lead to consequences similar to those seen in humans, such as pinkeye, genital soreness, discharge, and cysts.
According to a study published in the journal Scientific Reports in 2019, approximately half of the koalas in a geographical area of Australia tested positive for the infection. Many of those who tested positive were sterile.
Wildfires, drought, heat waves, and land clearing have killed an estimated 30 percent of Australia’s koala population since 2018, according to the Australian Koala Foundation.
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