Vaccination of koalas with a prototype chlamydial vaccine is safe, does not increase the incidence of lymphoma-related disease and maybe associated with increased lifespan in captive koalas

Jules Hernandez-Sanchez; Jacqui Brumm; Peter Timms; Kenneth W Beagley

doi:10.1016/j.vaccine.2015.07.029

Back

Vaccination of koalas with a prototype chlamydial vaccine is safe, does not increase the incidence of lymphoma-related disease and maybe associated with increased lifespan in captive koalas

Journal article

Peer reviewed

Vaccination of koalas with a prototype chlamydial vaccine is safe, does not increase the incidence of lymphoma-related disease and maybe associated with increased lifespan in captive koalas

Jules Hernandez-Sanchez, Jacqui Brumm, Peter Timms and Kenneth W Beagley

Vaccine, Vol.33(36), pp.4459-4463

2015

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vaccine.2015.07.029

Files and links (1)

url

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vaccine.2015.07.029View

Published Version

Abstract

koalas

chlamydia

survival analysis

lymphoma

neoplasia

Objectives: To assess the impact of Chlamydia vaccination on survival of captive koalas, and to compare the incidence of lymphomas and neoplasias between vaccinated and unvaccinated koalas. Methods: Survival analysis using Cox and Weibull regressions on 54 vaccinated and 52 matched unvaccinated koalas, and chi-square contingency table for incidence of lymphomas/neoplasias. Results: Vaccination was found to have a significant positive effect on koala lifespan (P = 0.03), with vaccinated koalas having a median lifespan of 12.25 years compared to 8.8 years for unvaccinated ones. The effect of sex on lifespan was not significant (P = 0.31). The risk ratio of unvaccinated over vaccinated koalas was 2.2 with both Cox and Weibull regressions. There was no association between the incidence of lymphoma/neoplasias and vaccination status (P = 0.33). Conclusions: Koalas vaccinated with a prototype Chlamydia vaccine may live longer than unvaccinated ones. There was no known Chlamydia infection among koalas, so our interpretation is that vaccination may have boosted the innate and adaptive immune systems to protect against a wide spectrum of bacteria, fungi and parasites. Vaccinated koalas did not show negative physiological effects of the vaccine, for example, the frequency of deaths due to lymphomas/neoplasias was the same in both vaccinated and unvaccinated animals.

Details

Title: Vaccination of koalas with a prototype chlamydial vaccine is safe, does not increase the incidence of lymphoma-related disease and maybe associated with increased lifespan in captive koalas
Authors: Jules Hernandez-Sanchez (Author) - Papworth Hospital, United Kingdom
Jacqui Brumm (Author) - Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary
Peter Timms (Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast - Faculty of Science, Health, Education and Engineering
Kenneth W Beagley (Author) - Queensland University of Technology
Publication details: Vaccine, Vol.33(36), pp.4459-4463
Publisher: Elsevier Ltd.
Date published: 2015
DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2015.07.029
ISSN: 0264-410X
Organisation Unit: University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland; Centre for Bioinnovation
Language: English
Record Identifier: 99449186202621
Output Type: Journal article

Metrics

10 File views/ downloads

646 Record Views

6 Times Cited - Web of Science

InCites Highlights

These are selected metrics from InCites Benchmarking & Analytics tool, related to this output

Collaboration types: Domestic collaboration; International collaboration
Web Of Science research areas: Immunology; Medicine, Research & Experimental

UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

This output has contributed to the advancement of the following goals:

Source: InCites