Koalas have become the poster children for an STD crisis, and it’s not their fault. In some populations, up to 80% of koalas carry the bacteria Chlamydia pecorum. It’s a massive problem for them, causing blindness, infertility, and a painful condition called “dirty tail.”
They’re basically the grumpy, hungover guy at a barbecue who just wants to sleep, but instead, he’s dealing with a medical drama. Between the chlamydia and their diet of eucalyptus (which is basically like eating poison for energy), it’s a miracle they’re still around.
So, Can You Actually Catch It?
The short answer is: extremely unlikely. The long answer involves a lot of science words like “zoonotic spillover” and “bacterial strains.” The human chlamydia (the one you usually worry about) is Chlamydia trachomatis. The koala version is a different beast entirely.
There have been a handful of cases where people who work very closely with koalas—like wildlife vets—have gotten a mild eye infection from the koala strain. But this is not a “you went to the zoo and now you need antibiotics” situation.
Think of it like this: You wouldn’t catch a cold from a squirrel, right? You might get a similar sniffle from a human, but a squirrel’s germs are built for squirrels. Same deal here. The koala’s germs are built for koalas.
Australia approves world-first vaccine to save koalas from chlamydia
