The Koala Immune Response to Chlamydial Infection and Vaccine Development—Advancing Our Immunological Understanding

摘要

Chlamydia is a major pathogen of the Australian marsupial, the koala (Phascolarctos cinereus). One approach to improving this situation is to develop a vaccine. Human Chlamydia research suggests that an effective anti-chlamydial response will involve a balance between a cell-mediated Th1 response and a humoral Th2 responses, involving systemic IgG and mucosal IgA. Characterization of koalas with chlamydial disease suggests that increased expression for similar immunological pathways and monitoring of koalas’ post-vaccination can be successful and subsequently lead to improved vaccines. These findings offer optimism that a chlamydial vaccine for wider distribution to koalas is not far off.