CATIE INFECTION FIGHTERS: MAC backround

INFECTION FIGHTERS: MAC backround

Canadian AIDS Treatment Information Exchange (CATIE) TreatmentUpdate48, Vol. 4, No. 8 - March 1994
Sean Hosein

Until the 1980s, doctors rarely had to treat patients with MAC (Mycobacterium avium complex) infection. Now that more people with AIDS are surviving with less than 100 CD4+ cells, more are developing MAC infection. These bacteria are related to the organisms that cause leprosy and tuberculosis. MAC is found in soil, tap, river and sea water, dairy products and animals, particularly insects. In patients with HIV/AIDS, MAC can attack several sites--the bone marrow, spleen and liver. When MAC infection is no longer restricted to one site, doctors describe this as disseminated MAC or DMAC. Although symptoms of DMAC are serious, some of these symptoms can be caused by other conditions so doctors often get a blood, tissue or stool sample sent to a laboratory for analysis. Symptoms of MAC may include:

- night sweats - fevers - unintentional weight loss - diarrhea - unusually low levels of red and white blood cells - high blood levels of the liver enzyme alkaline phosphatase - painful intestines

Until very recently, many doctors did not actively treat DMAC because few antibiotics were effective. As well, these antibiotics often caused serious toxicity. Testing of the anabiotics azithromycin, clarithromycin and rifabutin has made treatment and prevention of MAC possible in some patients. For details on potential anti-MAC combinations please see TreatmentUpdate40, 42 and 44. In section B we have a report on another anti-MAC antibiotic.

9403
CATI4811

ÆGIS is made possible through unrestricted grants from Boehringer Ingelheim, Elton John AIDS Foundation, the National Library of Medicine, and donations from users like you. Always watch for outdated information. This article first appeared in 1994.

Copyright © 1994 - TreatmentUpdate. Reproduced with permission. Reproduction of this article (other than one copy for personal reference) must be cleared through the Editor, The Canadian AIDS Treatment Information Exchange, 555 Richmond St. West, Suite 505, Box 1104, Toronto, ON, M5V 3B1 • Phone: 416-203-7122 • Toll Free: 1-800-263-1638 • Fax: 416-203-8284 http://www.catie.ca

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