Chlamydia trachomatis infections present a major heath burden worldwide. The conventional method used to detect C. trachomatis is laborious. In the present study, a novel strategy was utilized to evaluate the impact of antimicrobial agents on the growth of C. trachomatis and its expression of ompA promoter-driven green fluorescence protein (GFP). We demonstrate that this GFP reporter system gives a robust fluorescent display of C. trachomatis growth in human cervical epithelial cells and, further, that GFP production directly correlates to changes in ompA expression following sufficient exposure to antimicrobials. Validation with azithromycin, the first-line macrolide drug used for the treatment of C. trachomatis infection, highlights the advantages of this method over the traditional method because of its simplicity and versatility. The results indicate both that ompA is highly responsive to antimicrobials targeting the transcription and translation of C. trachomatis and that there is a correlation between changing GFP levels and C. trachomatis growth. This proof-of-concept study also reveals that the ompA-GFP system can be easily adapted to rapidly assess antimicrobial effectiveness in a high-throughput format.

Background Anti-retroviral therapy (ART) has been associated with significant weight gain and metabolic derangements in persons with HIV (PWH), and many PWH on ART experience comorbid obesity. GLP-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RA) are used to treat type-2 diabetes and obesity in people without HIV infection, but data on the use of these agents in PWH on ART are limited. Methods We extracted data from electronic medical records of PWH on ART receiving care at a clinic in New Orleans, LA who had been started on GLP-1RA therapy. We tracked weight (change in body weight, body mass index [BMI]) and changes in hemoglobin A1c (Hba1c) over time from initiation of GLP-1RA to April 2022. A control group of PWH on metformin only will be compared to those on GLP-1RA at a later stage of analysis. Results Of 35 PWH on GLP-1RA, the mean age was 55.2 (standard deviation [SD] 10.0); 29 (83%) were Black/African American, 14 (40%) were assigned female at birth, 21 (60%) were assigned male at birth, and 2 were non-binary. Average BMI was 35.7 (SD 9.8) and average HbA1c was 9.5 (SD 2.6) at baseline. Integrase inhibitors were prescribed for 31 (89%) and metformin was prescribed for 20 (57%). Other baseline characteristics are shown in Figure 1. Mean duration of GLP-1RA therapy was 20.6 months (SD 14.0), and 20 (57%) had greater than 12 months of follow-up. Most (23, 66%) on GLP-1RA lost weight, 3 (9%) had a stable weight, and 9 (26%) gained weight. Five percent or more of body weight was lost by 11 (31%) of the total cohort (those with any amount of time on GLP-1RA) and by 9/20 (45%) of those on GLP-1RA for more than 12 months. Conclusion Our data show moderate weight loss among PWH on GLP-1RA. This study is limited by small sample size and limited follow-up time. Further research is needed to determine whether GLP-1RAs are an effective treatment option for obesity in PWH. Disclosures Meredith E. Clement, MD, Gilead Sciences: Grant/Research Support|Roche: Advisor/Consultant|Viiv Healthcare: Advisor/Consultant|Viiv Healthcare: Grant/Research Support.