Researchers develop potential chlamydia vaccine

Scientists from Wayne State University are seeking to patent a proposed chlamydia vaccine that may help reduce the prevalence of the most frequently reported sexually transmitted disease in the U.S.

Researchers said that the combination of three peptides has been shown to protect against multiple strains of the virus in laboratory animals. Although chlamydia is curable with antibiotics, the investigators explained that a vaccine may offer enhanced benefits.

"There is no vaccine and the disease is widely rampant. Antibiotics, while effective in treatment, offer no protection against re-infection," lead researcher Judith Whittum-Hudson said. She also noted that the preventive measure may be more cost-effective than multiple doses of medications administered after infection.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 1.2 million cases of chlamydia are reported in the U.S. each year. The organization states that women are about three times more likely than men to suffer from the disease and may experience more serious symptoms. Untreated chlamydia infections among females have been associated with pelvic inflammatory disease, stillbirth and vision loss, the CDC notes.