A key threat to koalas' population are diseases caused by Chlamydia species, in particular C.pecorum, consistently highlighted as a significant cause of blindness, mortality, and reduced fertility.¹ An estimated 50% or more of koalas in some populations infected and with chlamydial disease. This disease spreads between the animals both sexually and from mother to child. Reinfection is common; even if a koala gets treated, once it returns to the wild can become reinfected at its next sexual contact.¹

An fundamental tool to control and prevent chlamydial infections is testing. Current testing methods are qPCR and/or isothermal amplification. However, these methods are all restricted to research and/or diagnostic labs, requiring a dedicated environment and specialised operators. This poses serious challenges when treating koalas in the field.

Our rapid tests are suitable to be used for field-side testing with minimal sample preparation and a simple workflow that can be completed in less than half hour.

References

¹ Jelocnik, M. Chlamydiae from down under: The curioous cases of chlamydial infections in Australia. Microorganisms vol.7 (2019)https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/7/12/602