(NewsNation) — A first-of-its-kind chlamydia vaccine has hit the market, and it's not for humans.

Australian researchers developed the vaccine for koalas, which are at risk of infertility and death due to widespread chlamydia infections. The disease accounts for nearly half of wild koala deaths in Australia, according to the lead researcher, Peter Timms.

“We knew a single-dose vaccine — with no need for a booster — was the answer to reducing the rapid, devastating spread of this disease," Timms, a microbiology professor, said in a press release.

In test trials, the vaccine decreased mortality by at least 65% and reduced the likelihood of koalas developing chlamydia symptoms during breeding age.

The animals, native to Australia, are classified as endangered in some parts of the country.

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