A single-dose vaccine to protect koalas from chlamydia has been approved for use across Australia for the first time. Wildlife carers say the development offers hope for a 'heartbreaking' situation, as the disease affects about half of all koalas.
Microbiologist Dr Sam Phillips, who spent almost a decade developing the vaccine, said no booster shot is required. 'It's difficult to catch a koala once, let alone two or three times,' he noted, giving researchers hope the vaccine can be rolled out to wild populations.
Phillips estimates that around 50% of koalas have chlamydia, with rates in some wild colonies reaching as high as 70%. He described the disease as 'a huge, devastating issue' alongside deforestation and traffic accidents, the other major threats to the species.
