Midcareer Mentoring Award for Patient-Oriented Research in Chlamydia trachomatis Infection

威廉·M·盖斯勒，医学博士，M.P.H.，是阿拉巴马大学职业生涯中期的内科科学家 伯明翰(UAB)拥有独立的联邦资金，拥有沙眼衣原体(CT)感染方面的专业知识，以及 在指导职业生涯早期以患者为中心的研究(POR)实习生方面有丰富经验。这 职业生涯中期调查员奖将使盖斯勒博士能够：1)进一步发展他的指导技能，2)继续 为早期职业培训学员提供POR指导，以及3)在新的方向上扩展他的研究项目 通过支持两个新的研究项目。CT感染在年轻女性中非常普遍(青少年和 青壮年)，如果不治疗，可能会导致严重的生殖疾病。因为大多数CT 感染是无症状的，通常不被识别，也可能得不到治疗。CT检测在很大程度上依赖 部分内容是每年对年轻女性进行筛查。因为提供商对CT筛查的遵从性较低， 每年间隔一次的筛查漏掉了许多自发消退或偶然治疗的感染， 无症状年轻女性中CT感染的累积负担尚不清楚。又一次错失的机会 用于治疗CT感染的是患有CT相关性排尿困难的女性，她们被误诊为尿路 感染(UTI)，通常开出的UTI治疗对CT无效，通常不进行CT检测。 在获奖支持下，盖斯勒博士计划通过教学和教学来扩展和完善他的指导技能 培训，并继续指导他目前处于早期阶段的实习生，并通过多个 UAB消息来源。所有受训人员将获得适合其职业生涯的教育和研究经验。 舞台和趣味。在获奖支持下，盖斯勒博士的研究计划将通过两个新的 解决错失CT检测和治疗机会的研究，这将提供新的机会 用于指导学员、协作和资金。新研究1的目标是：评估累积 女性青少年和青壮年沙眼衣原体感染的负担和较高负担的预测因素。女性年龄 16-29岁的患者将在4个不同患者群体的UAB诊所登记。受试者将接受采访，并 接受尿液CT检测和血清CT抗体检测。CT感染的累积负担代表着 无论哪一种测试都是阳性的。新研究2的目的是：确定女性感染沙眼衣原体的频率 表现为排尿困难的青少年和年轻人以及患者和尿液特征的区别 尿路感染的CT感染。16-29岁女性因排尿困难到UAB急诊科就诊 将被录取，接受面试，接受泌尿生殖系统CT检查，并进行尿检和细菌培养 已执行。盖斯勒博士研究的长期目标是改善对CT感染的预防和控制。 来自新研究的知识可能有助于改进无症状年轻人的CT筛查策略 女性，以及对出现CT相关排尿困难的女性进行更多的测试和治疗。这项研究 研究将为多名早期受训人员提供POR指导机会。

William M. Geisler, M.D., M.P.H., is a mid-career stage physician scientist at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) with independent federal funding, expertise in Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) infections, and significant experience in mentoring early career stage trainees in patient-oriented research (POR). This midcareer investigator award would enable Dr. Geisler to: 1) further develop his mentoring skills, 2) continue providing POR mentoring to early career stage trainees, and 3) expand his research program in new directions by supporting two new research projects. CT infections are highly prevalent in young females (adolescents and young adults) and can cause significant reproductive morbidity when untreated. Since the majority of CT infections are asymptomatic, they are often unrecognized and may go untreated. CT detection relies in large part on screening young females annually. Because provider compliance with CT screening is low and screening at an annual interval misses many infections that resolve spontaneously or are incidentally treated, the cumulative burden of CT infection in asymptomatic young females is unknown. Another missed opportunity for treating CT infection is in females with CT-associated dysuria who are misdiagnosed with a urinary tract infection (UTI), often prescribed UTI treatment ineffective against CT, and usually not tested for CT. With award support, Dr. Geisler plans to expand and refine his mentoring skills through didactics and training, and to continue mentoring his current early stage trainees and recruit new trainees through multiple UAB sources. All trainees will be provided with educational and research experiences tailored to their career stage and interests. With award support, Dr. Geisler’s research program will be augmented through two new studies addressing missed opportunites for CT detection and treatment, which will provide new opportunities for mentoring trainees, collaborations, and funding. The Aim of New Study 1 is: Evaluate the cumulative burden of CT infection in female adolescents and young adults and predictors of higher burden. Females ages 16-29 years will be enrolled at 4 UAB clinics with different patient populations. Subjects will be interviewed and undergo urine CT testing and serum CT antibody testing. Cumulative burden of CT infection represents positivity by either test. The Aim of New Study 2 is: Determine the frequency of CT infection in female adolescents and young adults presenting with dysuria and the patient and urine characteristics that distinguish CT infection from UTI. Females ages 16-29 years presenting to the UAB Emergency Department with dysuria will be enrolled, interviewed, undergo urogenital CT testing, and have a urine dipstick and bacterial culture performed. The long-term goal of Dr. Geisler’s research is to improve prevention and control of CT infection. Knowledge from the new studies could lead to improve CT screening strategies in young asymptomatic females and more testing and treatment in females presenting with CT-associated dysuria. The research studies will provide mentoring opportunities in POR for multiple early stage trainees.