The objective of the Clinical Core is to provide the clinical resources for the individual research projects within the Sexually Transmitted Infections Cooperative Research Center (STI CRC). The Clinical Core will assemble a cohort of 250 women with acute PID to participate in a randomized controlled trial of two antibiotic regimens for the treatment of acute PID (Project 1). This cohort will also serve as the source for specimens for Project 2, examining novel previously uncultivatable organisms in endometritis. The Clinical Core will also construct a cohort of 200 women with or at-risk for Chlamydia trachomatis infection to determine the antigen-specific cell mediated immune resposes that are most strongly associated with protection against C. trachomatis infection and to elucidate the antigen specifc immune responses correlated with containment of C. trachomatis infection to the lower genital tract (Project 4). To accomplish its goal of recruiting participants and collecting specimens to meet each of the projects'goals, the Clinical Core has assembled reecruitment sites that are the major providers of reproductive health care in our region, and are sites that are successful in the conduct of STI research. The Clinical Core will perform the vaginal and endometrial cultures and the STI diagnostic testing in support of Projects 1, 2 and 4. The Clinical Core personnel consists of a physician research, a PhD microbiologist, two nurse practitioners and research assistants who have extensive experience in STI research and the conduct of large clinical trials. ? By using a single research team and a network of clinical sites with provien ability to recruit participants for STD research, the Clinical Core will be able to successfully recruit research participants to meet the individual needs of the projects of this STI CRC application.

Public Health Relevance

The Clinical Core has assembled an experienced team of researchers who will recruit 450 participants in two clinical trials to support the needs of the research projects in this application. This well-structured operation has extensive experience in STI research and will ensure the successful recruitment of participants and collection of specimens to assure the successful completion of the research projects in this application.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)
Type
Research Program--Cooperative Agreements (U19)
Project #
1U19AI084024-01
Application #
7762463
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZAI1-MMT-M (M1))
Project Start
2009-09-30
Project End
2014-08-31
Budget Start
2009-09-30
Budget End
2010-08-31
Support Year
1
Fiscal Year
2009
Total Cost
$817,754
Indirect Cost
Name
University of Pittsburgh
Department
Type
DUNS #
004514360
City
Pittsburgh
State
PA
Country
United States
Zip Code
15213
Zheng, Xiaojing; O'Connell, Catherine M; Zhong, Wujuan et al. (2018) Gene Expression Signatures Can Aid Diagnosis of Sexually Transmitted Infection-Induced Endometritis in Women. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 8:307
Zheng, Xiaojing; O'Connell, Catherine M; Zhong, Wujuan et al. (2018) Discovery of Blood Transcriptional Endotypes in Women with Pelvic Inflammatory Disease. J Immunol 200:2941-2956
Rahman, K Shamsur; Darville, Toni; Wiesenfeld, Harold C et al. (2018) Mixed Chlamydia trachomatis Peptide Antigens Provide a Specific and Sensitive Single-Well Colorimetric Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay for Detection of Human Anti-C. trachomatis Antibodies. mSphere 3:
Taylor, Brandie D; Zheng, Xiaojing; O'Connell, Catherine M et al. (2018) Risk factors for Mycoplasma genitalium endometritis and incident infection: a secondary data analysis of the T cell Response Against Chlamydia (TRAC) Study. Sex Transm Infect 94:414-420
Rahman, K Shamsur; Darville, Toni; Russell, Ali N et al. (2018) Comprehensive Molecular Serology of Human Chlamydia trachomatis Infections by Peptide Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assays. mSphere 3:
Rahman, K Shamsur; Darville, Toni; Russell, Ali N et al. (2018) Discovery of Human-Specific Immunodominant Chlamydia trachomatis B Cell Epitopes. mSphere 3:
Taylor, Brandie D; Zheng, Xiaojing; Darville, Toni et al. (2017) Whole-Exome Sequencing to Identify Novel Biological Pathways Associated With Infertility After Pelvic Inflammatory Disease. Sex Transm Dis 44:35-41
Poston, Taylor B; Qu, Yanyan; Girardi, Jenna et al. (2017) A Chlamydia-Specific TCR-Transgenic Mouse Demonstrates Th1 Polyfunctionality with Enhanced Effector Function. J Immunol 199:2845-2854
Petrina, Melinda A B; Cosentino, Lisa A; Rabe, Lorna K et al. (2017) Susceptibility of bacterial vaginosis (BV)-associated bacteria to secnidazole compared to metronidazole, tinidazole and clindamycin. Anaerobe 47:115-119
Russell, Ali N; Zheng, Xiaojing; O'Connell, Catherine M et al. (2016) Identification of Chlamydia trachomatis Antigens Recognized by T Cells From Highly Exposed Women Who Limit or Resist Genital Tract Infection. J Infect Dis 214:1884-1892

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