The first ever chlamydia vaccine to reach phase 1 clinical trial has been found to be safe and able to provoke an immune response.
The randomised controlled trial of 35 healthy women demonstrates promising early signs of what could be an effective vaccine.
However, further trials are required to determine whether the immune response it provokes effectively protects against chlamydia infection.
Chlamydia, caused by the bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis, presents a major global health burden, with 131 million new cases occurring annually.
But as three out of four infections are symptomless, this number is likely to be underestimated. The most new cases are found in teenagers and young adults.
Vaccination may be the best way to tackle the epidemic, as national treatment programmes have largely failed to curb the epidemic, despite availability of diagnostic tests and effective antibiotic treatment.
