An attenuated Chlamydia strain has been developed that can be used as a vaccination against Chlamydia infections. The attenuated organism is capable of infecting mucosal tissues and eliciting a robust immune response without inducing the typical inflammation associated with Chlamydia infections.
Background:
Chlamydia infections are the most common bacterial sexually transmitted disease in both men and women and are caused by the Chlamydia trachomatis organism. Chlamydia infections often have very few symptoms and, if left untreated, can potentially lead to infertility, ectopic pregnancy, and complications in newborns (eye infections, pneumonia). To date, a successful vaccination to prevent Chlamydia infection has not been successfully developed. Infections are treatable with antibiotics but many patients do not detect the infection and seek treatment, resulting in the possible negative consequences.
The attenuated Chlamydia organism developed at UT Health San Antonio is capable of infecting multiple mucosal tissues as readily as the wild-type strain and initiating a robust immune response. However, it is not capable of inducing the pathological mechanisms associated with a Chlamydia infection. Research is continuing to evaluate the efficacy and duration of the protection provided by the vaccine against wild-type Chlamydia infection. The new strain's ability to infect multiple mucosal tissues may also make it a useful vehicle for delivering other vaccine antigens to mucosal sites.
Commercial Applications & Advantages:
This new vaccine is a preventative, rather than therapeutic, treatment for clinicians in Reproductive Health. It has the following advantages over the current standard of care:
- Prophylactic treatment for the prevention of Chlamydia infections
- Reduction in serious consequences of untreated infections