POSTANTIBIOTIC EFFECT OF CLARITHROMYCIN ALONE AND COMBINED WITH ETHAMBUTOL AGAINST MYCOBACTERIUM-AVIUM COMPLEX

The postantibiotic effect (PAE) of clarithromycin alone and in combina tion,vith ethambutol was determined for two clinical blood isolates of Mycobacterium avium complex. An average PAE, ranging from 5.5 to 18.0 h, was noted for each isolate at each clarithromycin concentration ex cept when isolate B was exposed to clarithromycin at the MIC. The addi tion of ethambutol did not enhance the PAE observed with clarithromyci n alone. The clinical implications of the PAE of clarithromycin for M. avium complex remain to be determined.