New Delhi– In a significant breakthrough, an international team of scientists has identified a molecule capable of selectively killing Chlamydia trachomatis, the bacterium responsible for the world’s most common bacterial sexually transmitted infection, while leaving beneficial bacteria unharmed.
The research, conducted by teams at Umeå University in Sweden and Michigan State University in the United States, uncovered more than 60 potential anti-chlamydia compounds. Among them, one molecule stood out for its ability to stop the infection in its tracks by targeting a crucial growth mechanism.
Chlamydia infects an estimated 130 million people globally each year. The bacterium operates much like a virus, invading human cells and transforming them into safe havens where it can replicate. This stealthy behavior makes it especially difficult to treat without disrupting the body’s healthy bacterial ecosystem.
“No one should have to live with chlamydia,” said lead researcher Dr. Barbara Sixt, Associate Professor in the Department of Molecular Biology at Umeå University. “The problem is that existing treatments don’t differentiate between harmful and beneficial bacteria. On top of that, antibiotic resistance is growing, making current therapies less effective.”
Using large-scale chemical screening methods, the researchers examined thousands of molecules to pinpoint those capable of stopping Chlamydia trachomatis in laboratory-grown human cells. The most promising candidate was found to inhibit the bacterium’s ability to produce fatty acids, a key process for its survival and replication.
“There’s still a long journey ahead before this becomes a viable treatment,” Sixt noted. “But our discovery lays the foundation for a new class of antibiotics—ones that are both highly targeted and gentler on the body.”
While chlamydia often causes mild or no symptoms, untreated infections can lead to severe complications, particularly in women. Long-term consequences include chronic pelvic pain, infertility, and increased risk of ectopic pregnancy. Research also suggests a possible link between chronic chlamydia infections and cancers of the cervix and ovaries.
The findings bring renewed hope for more precise, less disruptive treatment options at a time when antibiotic resistance continues to threaten public health globally. (Source: IANS)
