Researchers develop molecule that may help rid the body of chlamydia

Individuals who are diagnosed with chlamydia are typically prescribed an antibiotic that has been known to kill the bacteria.

However, these medications do not protect people from being infected with the sexually transmitted disease again. A recent study published in the journal Cell Host and Microbe indicated that a molecule may be able to expose a vulnerable virulence factor that chlamydia produces, called CPAF, in order to allow the body's natural immune response to fight off the bacteria without antibiotics.

The researchers explained that CPAF helps bacteria "hide" within cells, but the new molecule protects the cell proteins from being degraded by the infection, allowing the immune system to fight it off.

"By stopping the cloaking response of the bacteria, we are essentially revealing where they are in the cell and allowing our own immune system to take over and destroy the pathogens," said lead researcher Dewey McCafferty.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 1.2 million Americans are diagnosed with chlamydia each year in the U.S. However, due to the fact that many people do not seek testing, the organization estimates that closer to 2.8 million individuals are infected annually.