This archive report was first published on 13 August 2019.
August 13, 2019 - A new trial vaccine has shown promising results in preventing chlamydia infection, a sexually transmitted disease that affects over 131 million people worldwide.
According to a study published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases journal, the vaccine was found to be safe and effective in preventing infection of the disease, which mostly affects teenagers, young adults, and gay men.
Chlamydia is the most common sexually transmitted bacterial infection worldwide, but treatment has largely failed to curb the epidemic. The disease is often symptomless, but it can have serious consequences, including pelvic inflammatory disease, infertility, and ectopic pregnancy.
Prof Peter Andersen, the study's author, noted that a global unmet medical need exists for a vaccine against genital chlamydia, given the impact of the disease on women's health, reproductive health, and infant health.
The trial, conducted at the Mtwapa Research Clinic in the Coast, involved 35 healthy women who demonstrated promising early signs of an effective vaccine. However, further trials are required to determine whether the immune response it provokes effectively protects against chlamydia infection.
