Chlamydia trachomatis: quest for an eye-opening vaccine breakthrough

ABSTRACT

Introduction

Chlamydia trachomatis, commonly referred to as chlamydia (a bacterium), is a common sexually transmitted infection, and if attended to early, it can be treatable. However, if left untreated it can lead to serious consequences. C. trachomatis infects both females and males although its occurrence in females is more common, and it can spread to the eyes causing disease and in some case blindness.

Area covered

With ongoing attempts in the most impoverished regions of the country, trachoma will be eradicated as a blinding disease by the year 2022. A prophylactic vaccine candidate with established safety and efficacy is a cogent tool to achieve this goal. This manuscript covers the vaccine development programs for chlamydial infection.

Expert opinion

Currently, the Surgery Antibiotics Facial Environmental (SAFE) program is being implemented in endemic countries in order to reduce transmission and control of the disease. Vaccines have been shown over the years to protect against infectious diseases. Charge variant-based adjuvant can also be used for the successful delivery of chlamydial specific antigen for efficient vaccine delivery through nano delivery platform. Thus, a vaccine against C. trachomatis would be of great public health benefit.

KEYWORDS:

• chlamydia trachomatis
• Trachoma
• SAFE program
• vaccine
• chlamydial infection
• immunotherapy
• trachoma
• chlamydia
• pre-clinical models
• clinical trials
• rare diseases

Article highlights

• Chlamydia trachomatis is a gram-negative bacteria that causes disease in the eyes and genital tracts of humans

• The major outer membrane proteins (MOMP) have been recognized as antigenic targets and are being considered in vaccine design

• The SAFE program is designed to reduce and eliminate disease

• A number of vaccine candidates show promise in pre-clinical animal studies

• The inability of routine screening has led to the professional opinion that an effective vaccine will be the better method of controlling the myriad of chlamydia-caused ocular, genital, and respiratory diseases

• A vaccine containing a version of a MOMP mixed with CAF01 or aluminum hydroxide adjuvant, stimulated antibodies, and mucosal immune responses is in a phase 1 human clinical trial

Acknowledgments

V.P. Chavda would like to dedicate this work to L M College of Pharmacy as a part of the 75th year celebration of the college. V. Apostolopoulos would like to thank the support from the Immunology and Translational Research Group, the Mechanisms and Interventions in Health and Disease Program within the Institute for Health and Sport, Victoria University Australia. E.K. was supported by the College of Health and Biomedicine Honors Research Program. V. Apostolopoulos was supported by Victoria University, VIC Australia. A. Pandya was supported by the Department of Science & Technology (DST) INSPIRE program of the Ministry of Science & Technology, Government of India.

Declaration of interest

The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.

Reviewer disclosures

Peer reviewers on this manuscript have no relevant financial or other relationships to disclose.

Author contributions

All authors contributed to the design of the article. E. Kypreos, A. Pandya, V.P. Chavda, and V. Apostolopoulos wrote the article. E. Kypreos, V. Patravale, V.P. Chavda, and V. Apostolopoulos edited this article and contributed to the interpretation of the included papers. All authors have read, reviewed, and approved the final paper.

Additional information

Funding

This paper was not funded.