FAQs and Comment Policy. It further baffles me why I thought it a good idea to debate with all the people who complained about the ‘bear’ word in the comments below. The more common strain, Chlamydia pecorum, is responsible for most of the outbreak in Queensland and cannot be transmitted to humans. I only mentioned the “bear” word once, and now many Australians are wincing? By now you’ve probably heard pretty much all koalas have chlamydia (and some wild populations have a 100 per cent infection rate). Urine tests and genital swabs are both used for the accurate detection of the bacterium. They have two types of Chlamydia; Chlamydia pecorum and Chlamydia pneumoniae. Scientists think young koalas eat their mothers' poop to get their incredible microbiomes. Enjoy that But don’t worry, your responsibility for the rest of the day is to drink large quantities of alcohol. Contact Shim Clinic right now to learn more or visit us during our working hours every single day to get tested for chlamydia and other common STDs. Cheers! Researchers have now pinpointed koalas as the species that could help us for the successful development of a chlamydia vaccine. Chlamydia, That’s a pretty neat trick for a koala, maybe it’s a perk of the job for them? The bacterium can remain inactive in the reproductive tract for months, even years at a time. Though it’s more likely. And no, the strain of chlamydia that infects koalas is not the same that … It is the most sensitive test with a 90 to 95 per cent accuracy rate. Almost 7 years ago to the day, I wrote a post called In Memory of Doug, the Baby Koala: Nov 2009 – Jan 2010, which included a section called The Koala: An Australian Icon! They're cute, they're cuddly... and they can give you chlamydia: So don't hug the koalas. It’s a tough environment for koalas these days, but we don’t want to lose them. Hope you didn’t mind me quoting you. Chlamydia testing can be done in several ways. In koalas, chlamydia’s ravages are extreme, leading to severe inflammation, massive cysts and scarring of the reproductive tract. Thanks for visiting and I do hope you come back regularly. And the Best City in Australia to Live in Is…. Koalas and the possible Chlamydia vaccine Koala, Meanwhile, The Sun continues to spread rumours that koalas can give humans Chlamydia. It’s a marsupial; that means mummy has a pouch. Let's see more details. Australian Visas and Expression Of Interest (EOI): Caution! Apparently, the koala population is threatened by a terrible and widespread outbreak of chlamydia. “Koalas can often show no obvious clinical signs of chlamydia, yet they can be highly infectious, carrying a heavy bacterial load,” he said. According to the World Health Organization, get tested for chlamydia and other common STDs, Getting a Close Look at HIV Shows Us How It Eventually Causes AIDS, Covid-19 and HIV Trials Zoom in on More Effective Vaccine Development, The World Reached the Biggest 20-Year Drop in HIV Diagnoses Among Gay and Bi Men, New Injectable HIV PrEP Proves Highly Effective in HIV Prevention, What STDs Can Teach Us About Overcoming the Coronavirus Pandemic, Covid-19 and People Living with HIV: Biggest Fears Didn’t Come True. This is the primary reason why the development of a reliable vaccine is so important. All Explained. Chlamydia affects a large number of koalas – it’s estimated that about half of the 80,000 koalas in Australia suffer from the disease. In the worst cases, animals are left yelping in pain … Freddie Starr, the comedian in question, got a pretty good boost to his career from that one. The most reliable option is nucleic-acid based amplification testing. Yes, in Brisbane ‘Koala’ bushlands there are zero koloas. The infection can lead to blindness, severe bladder infections, infertility and death in koalas. Did chlamydia come from koalas? When they get the disease, koalas could be treated with antibiotics to prevent severe problems, including blindness and death. Anyway, I have now done the right thing, I have deleted the offensive furry carnivorous mammal tag from, hopefully now, all references on this website to koalas. If your comment doesn’t get answered, find out why….. While the damage that koalas may experience is so severe, the bacterium that causes chlamydia among them is virtually the same one that spreads among humans. The reason why chlamydia studies among koalas are so important is that the disease impacts them in profound ways. Sexually transmitted infections don’t occur just among humans. In the worst cases, animals are left yelping in pain … Today I got an email from somebody who works in animal conservation, including helping koalas. Apparently, they both took turns in holding a koala called Kat. While chlamydia spreads among adults through sexual contact, it can also be passed on from mother to baby. I didn’t actually expect you to go. Genetic evidence from the chlamydia bacteria suggests that koalas were infected by the disease through transmission from livestock (specifically sheep). Fifteen Fun Facts. If your sex partner is male you can still get chlamydia even if he does not ejaculate (cum). I mean how are you gonna learn if the rest of us Aussies don’t point things out to you. Reviewing the work of biologists reveals that the first cases of koalas with chlamydia were noted at least a few centuries ago. But experts are reporting the disease has reduced the number of koalas from 60,000 to 11,000 from 1990 to 2012. Rupert Murdoch, Okay, let’s clear this one up. It was put out there purely for the publicity. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 127 million people across the world become infected with chlamydia over the course of a single year. Be gentle with me, I’ve only been an Aussie for three months . As Koalas Suffer From Chlamydia, A New Clue For Treatment Scientists may have discovered how antibiotics can better help Australian marsupials infected … Observing how these gentle animals will get to recover from the troublesome STD will enable researchers to eventually elevate their efforts and tackle chlamydia among humans. Definitely worth attending if you can get yourself up that early. Here’s just a few of my cute koala posts, including a link to those 15 fun facts…. If the test comes back positive, an antibiotic treatment will be administered. For more than 20 years now, researchers have been bringing koalas into veterinary hospitals to offer treatments and seek an adequate form of chlamydia prevention. Recent reports suggest that this may very well be the case. So how or why the ‘bear’ word slipped into that post towards the end and in this post, not once but twice, I really don’t know. Veterinarians tested both groups for Chlamydia perocum and koala retrovirus. And no, the strain of chlamydia that infects koalas is not the same that infects humans but it is sexually transmitted in the same way. And it can be spread to humans. Eventually, it will start causing damage to its host. Now the boys are worried that they might have caught Chlamydia from the koala. On Saturday they ran with the headline…. Chlamydia has been spreading among koalas and other mammals for decades. I think it’s just because they look a bit like one, a cute little teddy bear. What It’s Really Like to Be Bitten by a Redback Spider, Australia’s Best Beers and Lagers by BobinOz. The Australian Wolf Spider: Is It Dangerous? If your comment doesn’t get answered, find out why….. Wild Koala in a Tree at North Stradbroke Island, The Koala: An Australian Icon! Chlamydia-infected koalas made the news on Sunday (May 6) when the show's host, John Oliver, mentioned the dedication of a new koala ward at the Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital, called the John Oliver Koala Chlamydia Ward, to treat the sick marsupials. Well, in this sense there seem to be some advances… coming from the koalas. I know you can get chlamydia from chickens, cause my sis used to work with chickens and one of her colleagues got chlamydia from them. Enough to actually write today’s post about it, see Anzac Day Dawn Service. Koala Bears Can Give You Chlamydia These rather diminutive, tree-huggers resemble the teddy bears given to children, and unlike many of their larger cousins only eat veggies. … One Direction, The Sun. The answer may surprise you. Possums and Opossums: Australia and America. While there isn’t a chlamydia vaccine right now, early detection is vital to simplify the treatment and prevent serious complications. It’s not just chlamydia; dogs, loss of habitat, rapid urbanization and deaths from vehicles are also killing koalas. Chlamydia in Queensland’s koalas is a massive problem, but not for humans, just the koalas. By Eddie Wrenn for MailOnline. But let’s not overlook my 13 mentions of koalas without the ‘bear’ tag hmmm? It is estimated around 70-80% of koalas here are carrying the disease which can be passed on at birth. What do koalas and humans have in common? This can happen if you have unprotected sex with someone who has chlamydia. Even I wince nowadays when people call it a ‘koala bear’. Tagged as: Although transmission from koalas to humans is unlikely, a minority of the creatures have a strain of chlamydia that can be passed to other species, The Frisky reported. The northeast state of Queensland in Australia once had a booming koala population. Researchers who work with large populations of these animals often note a 100 per cent infection rate among certain populations. Now try to sleep tonight. And I’ve also seen claw marks of the koala down the local park on the trees. Currently there are drugs which can be administered to koalas with chlamydia, but the animals don't survive, Ms Flanagan said. Well, if I’m gonna nitpick I could say that actually you used it twice but I’ll overlook that. Now I know you know that it’s not a bear, why do you still call it one? I’m sure you can manage that . Such trials are already on their way. Koalas are also the victims of traffic and domestic dog attack, when they do move from tree to tree, they do it on the ground and slowly, which makes them vulnerable. I should also point out that as a true blue Aussie now, it’s your responsibility to be up at dawn tomorrow and attend the dawn services for ANZAC day. Pecorum cannot jump to other species, whereas pneumoniae can, although there is no evidence of this ever spreading from koalas to humans. Round here, that you’ll get it from some boring guy. 15 Fun Facts, In Memory of Doug, the Baby Koala: Nov 2009 – Jan 2010, Moving to Australia for a New Life Down Under, Calculating Your Comfortable Family Income in Australia, Moving to New Zealand Instead of Australia, Australian Cuisine and Some Foods I’ve Managed to Avoid, Spring in Australia and an Early Start to Bushfire Season, Bondi to Coogee Beach: A Sunday Walk Unlike Any Other, RSL’s and Other Drinking Establishments in Australia. While only zookeepers are allowed to touch koalas, ZooTampa is one of two places in the U.S. to offer the chance to get THIS close to koalas! But antibiotic treatment (for koala chlaymdia) harms this practice. Unfortunately, the disease tends to affect koalas much more severely than it affects humans, and it can cause blindness, infertility, and even death. Also, like many Australians I know, I winced when you called it a koala “bear”. In humans, chlamydia is also becoming a more serious problem than it has ever been. Life in Australia – Moving to Australia – By BobinOz, Many years ago, 26 to be precise, The Sun ran a headline that said…. Antibiotics, however, often affect the gut microbiome of koalas in a very negative way, contributing to further complications. By unlikely ways they could catch a disease? ‘Koalas really do get chlamydia’: How these marsupials could help humans battle the STI. Could the study of koalas contribute to the development of better treatments for STIs? If you are pregnant, you can give chlamydia to your baby during childbirth. Yes, it’s a shame, they are a very rare sight these days. Published: 09:11 EST, 25 June 2012 | Updated: 21:29 EST, 25 June 2012 Thanks Kirri, and yes, I might give it a go next year. In the late 19th century, a naturalist from Australia noted that koalas seemed to be particularly susceptible to the STD. The story then goes on to explain how a couple of members of the band “One Direction” may have caught Chlamydia from cuddling a koala in a Brisbane koala sanctuary. Apologies to all, especially koalas everywhere. I’m in Brisbane’s western suburbs. In koalas, the effects of chlamydia are devastating, including blindness, infertility and an infection known as ‘dirty tail’. When untreated, chlamydia could contribute to significant and irreversible scarring of the reproductive tract and even to death. Not at all, I’m honoured to have inspired a post on such a worthy topic. I rather enjoyed going around telling people that my sister had to be tested for chlamydia that she mights have gotten from a chicken I think that might have been a different type as well though. I know they are a boy band, I know they have just toured Brisbane, I also know they are now in New Zealand touring and I even know the name of a couple of the band members and what they look like. For one, we seem to be suffering from some of the same common STDs.In fact, numerous koalas have recently been diagnosed with chlamydia – a phenomenon that the scientific community has taken an interest in. Adult koalas become infected in chlamydia in the exact same way that humans do. Can humans get koala chlamydia? Anyway, your comment made me think, quite a bit. The problem with this condition is that chlamydia happens to be fairly sneaky. There are antibiotic treatments for chlamydia. If you’ve had chlamydia and were treated in the past, you can still get infected again. Chlamydia is considered one of the primary causes of pelvic inflammatory disease and infertility among women. I didn’t either. Koalas are not a risk factor in Tibshelf . Why is it that people are so fascinated. If you still can't find the answers you are looking for. A vaccine is currently being tested. Bobinoz® is a trademark of Web Products Pty Ltd. Snake Bite First Aid in Australia: What You Need to Know in an Emergency, Close Encounters with the Wonderful Australian Wildlife, Swimming and Crocodile Risks in Northern Australia, Red-bellied Black's Keeping Snake Catchers Busy, It's That Time of Year Again, Preparing for Storm Season in Australia. Yes, I checked them out on YouTube. The Huntsman Spider: Is His Bite Dangerous to Humans? According to Infobae, in Australia a vaccine is being prepared to cure them of chlamydia, which may be key to fighting this disease in the more than 130 million affected people in the world. But before you blame the Poms for this ridiculous slur on our koalas, you started it! I saw a third one by chance in Toohey forest just last week, unfortunately it was dead, although the cause of death is not known as yet. “Dirty tail is actually really awful," says Wilson. You can have all of your questions answered and you’ll receive comprehensive consultation without worrying about a thing. Chlamydia is currently the deadliest disease among these lovable marsupials and it’s the second most common cause of death after injuries from cars. Neither of these are the same as the Chlamydia that humans get; pecorum is the common type that affects most koalas and pneumoniae is very rare. Yes. They have two types of Chlamydia; Chlamydia pecorum and Chlamydia pneumoniae. A new DNA test to detect chlamydia infection in koalas which can be run in the field and gives on-the-spot results within 30 minutes has been developed in a research collaboration between QUT and University of Queensland (UQ) researchers. My sister has been known to tell off tourists at her work for calling it a bear, I thought she’d be annoyed at me if I didn’t call you out on it. I did watch the dawn service at Gallipoli on tv though and I do find them incredibly moving. In fact, biologists have noted cases of chlamydia among a wide range of mammals and even among birds. Previous post: Platypus: A Bad Photo & a Good Video. All Rights Reserved. The answer may surprise you. In Toohey forest, which is fairly large, there is a project going on to monitor them, it’s been going on quite a while and so far only two have been spotted. It is estimated around 70-80% of koalas here are carrying the disease which can be passed on at birth. Chlamydia in Queensland’s koalas is a massive problem, but not for humans, just the koalas. Because the day before yesterday, I had never heard of One Direction, now look at me! In koalas, chlamydia’s ravages are extreme, leading to severe inflammation, massive cysts and scarring of the reproductive tract. And give you chlamydia. That, I don’t doubt, would have been Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary, which is just up the road from me. I just know people that hate this in general. Koalas have been known to develop massive cysts and severe inflammation as a result of the infection. Chlamydia is a common sexually transmitted disease in people, but when it claimed the lives of many koalas in Australia, no one ever knew it could have taken a deadly toll.. Yes, I know, it is fact number one from that post in 2010. Not that way. By the time the infection is detected, it may be too late to reverse some of the issues that chlamydia has already caused. Still, the situation is so dire that experts fear the koala may become extinct in a few decades if a vaccine isn't developed. A koala could lick you, or wee in your eye. The process is 100 per cent confidential. There are other screening possibilities, as well, some being more readily available and more affordable. While it might be funny to joke about koalas … It’s best to wait two weeks after a risky sexual encounter or a potential exposure for the bacterium to be accurately detected. Let’s hope it works, because koalas are cute. In fact, most animal species seem to be plagued by one type of STD or another. No. And the koala then took turns to go to the toilet, number ones, on each of the boy band members. I wonder who One Direction use as their publicist, and if this person is aware of Max Clifford’s publicity tricks? “We can do something in koalas you could never do in humans,” Dr. Timms said. The koala bear is not a bear. What do koalas and humans have in common? I know I always used to refer to them as ‘koala bears’ when I was a kid, so maybe old habits die hard. Could the study of koalas contribute to the development of better treatments for STIs? Chlamydia affects male and female koalas, and even the little ones called joeys - who pick it up suckling from their mothers in the pouch. Of course, the story was completely untrue. Well, The Sun are still at it. Okay, let’s clear this one up. In addition, chlamydia is the most common sexually transmitted infection among men (affecting approximately three per cent of the male population of the world). So, One Direction have more chance of making a record that I like as they do of catching Chlamydia. There are real concerns that this favourite Australian icon could be extinct in 30 years or so, unless the spread of Chlamydia can be controlled. 12. “This test has such a rapid turnaround time that it means decisions about treatment can be made quickly. As for that hamster eating story, Max Clifford, Freddie Starr’s publicist, has long since admitted that the story was a pack of lies. Because the same bacterium seems to plague both humans and koalas, it’s nothing but logical for the early vaccine development research to focus on these animals. “We can do something in koalas you could never do in humans,” Dr. Timms said. It can go undetected for years and unless a person goes in for STD testing, they would never know they have it. Over the same period of time, koala populations have declined by as much as 80 per cent in Australia. Hopefully in return, you can overlook my poorly phrased comment about many people I know wincing over this particular post. It’s a pretty strong tag as well, there’s even a website called koalabear.org. For one, we seem to be suffering from some of the same common STDs. Koalas and Chlamydia. In fact, numerous koalas have recently been diagnosed with chlamydia – a phenomenon that the scientific community has taken an interest in. He said ‘ I have just read your “15 Facts About Koalas” on the ‘net, and, while it is well written and generally accurate, you do refer to Koalas as bears, which is, unfortunately, wrong – they are marsupials, and should be referred to simply as “Koalas”. Chlamydia testing is readily available in Singapore through facilities like Shim Clinic which also operates as a specialised STD clinic in Singapore. Can you hold a koala in America? Copyright Web Products PTY Ltd 2008 – 2019. I was a bit surprised that my friend got one in his back garden (there’s a link to pictures above in the post), he only lives a couple of kilometres from me. Wow, you’re tough! Of all these conditions, chlamydia is the most pervasive. Some of the earliest records date back to 1798. The infection can lead to blindness, severe bladder infections, infertility and death in koalas. Chlamydia infects up to 70 per cent of koalas and the disease can cause blindness and infertility, but treatment with regular antibiotics can have deadly side effects. There is a population in Karawatha reserve, but I’m not sure how many. Re-testing is suggested three months after the treatment to make sure that the bacterium is no longer detectable. Can dogs give humans STDs? You can. So, please don’t feel sorry for this boy band, save your pity for the iconic koala.
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