(ATDN) MAC Prevention and Treatment Guidelines

(ATDN) MAC Prevention and Treatment Guidelines

Treatment Review No. 10; March 1994
Richard Haynes

Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) is a bacterial infection that HIV+ people with low T4 cell counts can get. There is no single drug treatment for MAC, but multidrug therapy reduces mycobacterial colony counts in the blood. Mycobacterial colony counts are a measure of infection. Symptoms improve with treatment, especially reduction of fever. Some doctors use the same multidrug therapy for maintenance as for treatment of acute MAC.

The bacteria that causes MAC is related to the bacteria that causes tuberculosis. But the standard anti-TB drugs, isoniazid (INH) and pyrazinamide (PZA), are not effective treatments for MAC. A Public Health Service Task Force on Prophylaxis and Therapy for MAC has released their recommendations for prevention and treatment of MAC in people with HIV infection. The Task Force recommends that HIV+ individuals with less than 100 T4 cells take 300 mg per day of rifabutin (Mycobutin) as a prevention treatment.

If MAC develops, the Task Force recommends a multi-drug treatment regimen. Your doctor will discuss with you which drugs might work best. Prevention and treatment for MAC in HIV+ children under thirteen years should follow the same guidelines recommended by the Task Force.

All the drugs used for prevention and treatment of MAC are described in The Network publication, The Guide. This book contains descriptions of most of the drugs that are used to treat and prevent AIDS and HIV-related infections.

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Always watch for outdated information. This article first appeard in 1994. This material is designed to support, not replace, the relationship that exists between you and your doctor.

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This information is designed to support, not replace, the relationship that exists between you and your doctor.
©1994. AEGIS.