Australia agrees to a koala vaccine from chlamydia

The organizer agreed to the first global vaccine to protect the koala from chlamydia infection, which causes infertility and death in the famous local species that were included as being at risk in parts of Australia.

A single dose vaccine was developed by the University of Sun Shine Coast in Queensland, after more than a decade of research led by Professor of Microbiology Peter Times.

The research showed that the vaccine reduced the possibility of koala to develop chlamydia symptoms during the reproductive age and a decrease in death from the disease in the wild population by at least 65 percent.

Timmes said on Wednesday that the recent approval conducted by the veterinary medicine organizer in Australia means that the vaccine can now be used in wildlife hospitals and veterinary clinics and in this field to protect more likely in the country.

“We have known that one dose vaccine-without the need for a supporter-was the solution to reduce the rapid and destructive spread of this disease, which represents half of the death of Kuala in all land groups in Australia,” Timmes said in a statement.

“Some individual colonies are close to local extinction every day, especially in the southeast of Queensland and New South Wales, where the infection rates within the population are often about 50 percent, and in some cases it can reach 70 percent.”

The microbiologist Samuel Phillips, who worked with Timms on the vaccine, said that up to 500 doses were made so that it could be put in early next year, but more funding was needed to increase production.

“We have already received calls from wildlife hospitals asking for the vaccine,” he said.

“We can need at least 1,000 to 2000 doses annually, and this does not include the program to go out and
Try to protect the Koala residents. “

Some specialists maintain a quarrel skeptical

Deborah Tabart, head of the Kuala Foundation for the Conservation, said that the resources that are spent on vaccination should be re -directed to save the Koala habitats.

“At the risk of exclusivity, how can anyone be an illusion that he believes that you can vaccinate 100,000 animals? It is ridiculous,” said Tabart on Friday.

Tabart Foundation’s capabilities there are less than 100,000 koles in the wild. The government -backed Koala National Monitoring Program estimated last year that there were between 224,000 and 524,000 Kuala.

“I accept that the Chlamydia is a case for Kalas, but I also want people to understand that they are sick because they have not obtained any habitats,” Tabart said.

The Queensland Conservation Council, an umbrella organization for more than 50 environmental groups throughout the state, welcomed the vaccine. But the council director, Dave Kobman, repeated the focus of Tabart on maintaining the country of Kuala.

“It is really good news. Chlamydia is one of the main pressures that have been pressured on Kuala collections,” Kobman said.

He added: “Qalas was in danger before the Chlamydia spread, and they will remain in danger even if we manage the chlamydia completely, because we continue to destroy their habitats.”

Both disease and treatment can be fatal

Koalas is inserted as a species threatened with extinction in the states of Queensland and New South Wales and in the Australian capital area, with habitats lost due to forest fires and urban expansion as the main threats. Chlamydia can cause urinary tract infections, infertility, blindness and death.

The university said in a statement that antibiotic therapy could disrupt the ability of Kuala infected to digest eucalyptus leaves – the only source of food – which leads to hunger.

The research has been supported by the governments of New South South Wales and Queensland.

The Federal Environment Minister Murray Watt said his government had contributed to the development of the vaccine through the Qalas Fund to provide approximately $ 70 million.

“We know that koala needs help to fight diseases such as chlamydia. It is a widespread threat that affects their reproductive health and causes infertility,” Watt said in a statement.

Koala is the Australian Australian Mars, such as Wombats and Kangaroos. They spend most of their time eating and sleeping in eucalyptus trees, and their feet contain two opponents to help them understand and climb tree trunks.

The Koala wild population in Australia has decreased sharply in the past two decades.

In the face of complex threats resulting from disease, loss of habitats, climate change and road collisions, Kuala may become extinct by 2050, according to the evaluation of 2020 from the New South Wales government.