THE ACTIVITY OF AZITHROMYCIN ON THE INFECTIVITY OF CHLAMYDIA-TRACHOMATIS IN HUMAN AMNIOTIC CELLS

The effects of azithromycin on the infectivity and growth of Chlamydia trachomatis were investigated in primary human amniotic epithelial ce lls. Infection was prevented when cultures were exposed to the drug 6 h after inoculation and growth was completely inhibited when the drug was added to cultures 24, 48, 72 h or 7 days after infection. The same inhibition was observed at 0.5, 1.0 and 5.0 mg/L. Ultrastructural obs ervations depicted interruption in the growth cycle of the chlamydia a nd ghost-like envelopes were present in the near empty inclusions. Azi thromycin is effective in inhibiting chlamydial growth no matter when treatment is initiated after infection.