An early clinical trial of a chlamydia vaccine has produced promising results, researchers say.

There is currently no vaccine to prevent the disease, which is one of the most common sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in the UK.

Latest figures show nearly 200,000 cases were detected in England alone in 2022, an increase of nearly 25% on the previous year NHS figure.

Chlamydia is a common cause of female infertility. It can lead to pelvic inflammatory disease, which causes scar tissue and makes it more difficult to get pregnant if left untreated.

The bacteria can also cause eye infections, leading to vision loss in 1.9 million people worldwide, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Early clinical trial of experimental vaccine led by UK and UK researchers DenmarkIt was found to be safe and induce an immune response, according to findings published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases.

More than 150 people took part in the study from the National Institute for Health Research in London between 2020 and 2022.

Participants were equal parts healthy men and women, with an average age of 26 years. None of them had chlamydia.

Researchers tested several different doses of the vaccine, with participants receiving either the vaccine or a placebo on three separate days over nearly four months.

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Although the vaccine triggers an immune response, Dr. Hilary Leno, medical director of the St. Louis County Sexual Health Clinic, said there are still questions about its effectiveness.

She said: “Does it have the ability to stop a chlamydial infection? If you do get it, does that mean you’re more likely to have an asymptomatic infection?

“We don’t know that, and that’s the next phase of research.”

Researchers now plan to launch a larger “Phase 2” trial to test the vaccine’s effectiveness.

Jes Dietrich, a senior scientist at the Statetens Serum Institute in Denmark and lead author of the study, said the hope is that one day a vaccine will be able to prevent infections in the reproductive system and eyes.

In addition to the arm shot, study participants also received the vaccine in the form of eye drops.

“I was very pleasantly surprised because inducing immunity in the eye is really difficult,” Dr. Dietrich said.

David Harvey, executive director of the National Alliance of STD Directors, said there is an “urgent need” for such a vaccine.

Another of the most common sexually transmitted infections is human papillomavirus (HPV), although most people infected with the virus have no symptoms.

Some strains are Linked to cervical cancer The UK has been offering the HPV vaccine to all secondary school students since 2008.