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Evidence supporting the induction of protective immunity against chlamydiae: There is strong evidence that a partial short-lived chlamydial immunity develops after a natural infection. Thus, newly infected individuals are less likely to be re-infected, at least by the same serovar [Katz et al., 1987], resistance to trachoma increases with age [Bailey et al., 1999] and vaccination with inactivated organisms produced a short-lived protection against ocular re-challenge [Woolridge et al., 1967]. Besides, live attenuated C. psittaci strains protected ewes from chlamydia-induced ewe abortion [Rodolakis et al., 1998; see: C. abortus vaccines]. Furthermore, experimental vaccination and challenge studies in several animal models of genital, respiratory and ocular chlamydial infections, using diverse immunization regimens, have shown that a certain degree of protection characterized by a reduction of infectious agents or prevention of certain complications such as infertility could be achieved [de La Maza & Peterson, 2002; Igietseme et al., 2002; Loomis & Starnbach, 2002; Morrison & Caldwell, 2002]. These findings provided the impetus to efforts to define the essential immunologic and antigenic requirements for  protective chlamydial immunity in animal models and humans, to guide human vaccine design and evaluation.

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