Vaccines save lives. The release onto the market of the HPV vaccine has been a game-changer for women as well as men, protecting against sexually-transmitted Human Papilloma Virus infections which can lead to cancers including cervical cancer. Now we are also a step closer to having access to a Chlamydia vaccine in the future.

What is Chlamydia?

Chlamydia is the most commonly sexually-transmitted bacterial infection worldwide today. It represents a significant threat to female health and fertility.

Chlamydia is caused by a bacterium, Chlamydia trachomatis. Most people who are infected with this bacteria have no symptoms, however, are still able to pass it onto others through sexual contact. It is transmitted during vaginal, anal, or oral sex and those most at risk include anyone who is young and sexually active, has recently changed sexual partners, or who has recently had another STI. Condom use is currently the only prevention for Chlamydia aside from abstinence.

Chlamydia can infect the urethra, cervix, anus, rectum, eyes, and throat. For those people who do experience symptoms, these can occur between 2 days and 2 weeks from infection and may include:

Women:

  • Lower abdominal cramping or pain
  • Pain when urinating
  • Bleeding or pain during or after sex
  • Bleeding between periods
  • Vaginal discharge changes
  • Anal pain or discharge

Men:

  • Discharge from the penis
  • Pain when urinating
  • Sore, swollen testes
  • Anal pain or discharge

Chlamydia is diagnosed via urine sample and/or swab testing and is treated with a single dose of a specific antibiotic.

Left untreated, Chlamydia can cause:

Women:

  • Pelvic Inflammatory Disease
  • Chronic Pelvic Pain and Inflammation
  • Pelvic Adhesions (scarring)
  • Ectopic Pregnancy (pregnancy develops in the fallopian tube)
  • Infertility
  • Arthritis
  • Inflammation of the eyes
  • Rectal inflammation

Men:

  • Recurrent urethritis (infection of the urethra)
  • Epididymitis (infection of the tube to the testes)
  • Arthritis
  • Inflammation of the eyes
  • Rectal inflammation

Chlamydia represents an epidemic and is a threat to women’s health, men’s health, and even the health of infants due to transmission from an infected mother to her child during the process of childbirth. As such, development of a vaccine is a priority for medical researchers and scientists.

The Chlamydia Vaccine – History

The development of a potential vaccine for Chlamydia has been in the works for more than fifty years. Scientists first attempted to create a Chlamydia vaccine in the 1960s using the bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis. This was unsuccessful at that time, and some patients were actually more susceptible to the infection following this early vaccination.

Since 2010, there have been many studies published based on new Chlamydia vaccine research.

Promising Initial Results

A new vaccine has finally, as reported in the Lancet Journal of Infectious Diseases in August 2019, been identified as having real potential and has reached Phase I Clinical Trials, with early indications that are very promising. It may not provide complete protection against Chlamydia, but so far the trial vaccine has been found to provoke a distinct immune response in all subjects and has been found to be both well-tolerated and safe.

A Phase I Clinical Trial is the first step in testing a new vaccine or other medication. It is predominantly designed to test for safety and has a relatively small subject cohort. When no serious adverse effects are identified, the research can then continue onto larger Phase II trials which seek to reveal any less-common side effects or reactions.

If the ongoing research into the vaccine proves that antibodies against Chlamydia infection can be triggered in the body, and if those antibodies are able to target the infection prior to it entering the genital tract, women’s fertility could be protected.

The current results are just the first step – they indicate immune protection from the vaccine, however more years of research trials need to be undertaken to prove whether the vaccine can stop a Chlamydia infection and, as such, could be both effective and suitable for marketing. Researchers intend to begin Phase II trials in the coming months. Ultimately, they hope to find a way to combine a Chlamydia vaccine with the HPV vaccine – and effectively protect women from both infertility and cancer concurrently.

Gynaecology Centres Australia

Gynaecology Centres Australia provides services including abortion for unwanted pregnancies and for miscarriages, as well as an array of services for women’s health and male vasectomy. We have five different clinic locations across NSW, and we offer women full support and confidentiality. All of our medical professionals provide the highest standard of care.

For more information on our women’s health services, contact us today.